Innocence
by SilverKitsune2017
Summary: Itachi's parents had divorced years ago. After he joined the Sharingan Dragons, a criminal organization, Mikoto kept Sasuke as far away as possible from him. That was until he met a beautiful man and became instantly smitten. The feeling was entirely mutual until his angel told him his name. "Sasuke Uchiha." That was how he realized that he had fallen for his innocent baby brother.
1. Chapter 1

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** This is a YAOI story. That means that there will be at least one male x male romantic pairing. In this case, Sasuke x Itachi. For obvious reasons, this story may not be everyone's cup of tea. If any of that bothers you, you might want to turn back now. For those of you still here, I hope you enjoy the story and reviews are always appreciated.

 **Dedication:** This story idea was a request from of my most loyal readers, Emirri. So this story is dedicated to her and to of all Itachi x Sasuke shippers out there.

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing and make no profit off of any of my stories.

Chapter 1

 _Innocence._ That was the thing that Itachi Uchiha remembered most about Sasuke. His foolish little brother had been so innocent. Perhaps that was to be expected though. The last time he had seen the other Uchiha, Sasuke had only been thirteen years old.

Sasuke was just barely begun to make the transition from boyhood into adolescence when their parents divorced. Itachi compared it to a cute caterpillar, slowly emerging from its cocoon and becoming a beautiful butterfly. Even at 13, it was clear that Sasuke was going to be a real heartbreaker. The poor boy had always been popular with his female classmates, much to Sasuke's chagrin

"Well it looks like my foolish little brother is all grown up." Itachi muses as he reads the local paper that had published a list of the students who had graduated, only the night before.

One of the biggest regrets of his life was that he had lost touch with Sasuke after the divorce. Mikoto had been awarded custody of Sasuke and Fugaku got Itachi. After the divorce, his father had moved them across the country. Fugaku had said that he needed a fresh start and that was that.

"She still could have let me at least talk to Sasuke over the phone or online." He mutters to himself.

Itachi had only a few months before his high school graduation, but it had been enough. His father introduced him to Madara Uchiha. Madara was his great uncle and a Crime Lord.

He took a liking to Itachi and once Mikoto found out, she had forbid Itachi from ever speaking to his younger brother again. He could understand why of course.

Itachi was now part of a massive criminal organization. One that went back centuries. Of course she wouldn't want her baby boy to be exposed to that sort of lifestyle. That didn't make it any less painful though.

Today, he intended to change all that. Itachi gets into his red convertible and drives off to one of Madara's mansions. His great uncle was not an easy man to visit. To even get into the place, you had to get past the fingerprint scanners. Luckily, his fingerprints were already in the system and thus Itachi was able to get in with ease. Soon enough, he found himself knocking on his uncle's front door.

"Ah. Itachi. It's good to see you again. You're a bit early this month. You don't need to hand in your performance report for another week." The elder Uchiha says to him.

Madara was a man who was in his sixties, but he could have passed for forty. His wild mane of midnight black hair was still as feral looking as ever. Not a single strand of silver hair could be found. The man's eyes were crimson red and ever alert. Despite his age, he was also broad shouldered and in fantastic shape. He was built like a powerful lion. To add to the dramatic effect, this warrior wore a business suit that probably cost more money than most people made in a month.

"Oh I brought that with me as well, but that's not what I wished to speak to you about. I have a request. Considering the resources you have at your disposal, it should be an easy one to grant." Itachi says.

Madara raises an eyebrow. Itachi had always been a rather independent sort. It was rare that he asked for anything, despite being one of the most valuable members of the Sharingan Dragons.

The Sharingan Dragons was an organization that went back hundreds of years, back to the time of the Samurai. The Uchihas had originally been a Clan of Samurai. They were renowned for their skill in battle and were quite famous in Japan once upon a time.

Unfortunately, that era did eventually end. Like all the other Samurai, the Uchihas were forced to seek out other opportunities to make a living. Sadly, their skill set was no longer needed and they were reduced to stealing to survive. Eventually, this lead to the formation of the Sharingan Dragons. The rest was history.

"You have certainly aroused my curiosity. Come inside and we'll discuss it over a glass of wine." The Crime Lord says as he opens the door and allows Itachi to enter his beautiful home.

"As you are aware, I have a younger brother. His name is Sasuke." Itachi begins as he sits on the couch with his uncle.

Madara nods and pours them each a glass of exquisitely delicious red wine. It was expensive because it was well over three hundred years old. When you were in the Sharingan Dragons, you could afford the best.

"Yes, I am aware. Though if my memory serves, Mikoto was granted custody of him. She won't let us near him. It's too bad. If he's anything like you, he would have made a fine addition to our family." The other man observes.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I was reading the paper today and they listed all the college graduates from this year. Sasuke was amongst them. He's an adult now. Legally, she no longer has any hold of him. He is free to do whatever he likes. As he attended University here, I expect he lives nearby. It should be easy to find him." Itachi tells him.

Madara smirks. He knew what Itachi was asking now. His great nephew wanted him to track down their other relative. He could certainly find Sasuke. What was harder was predicting how the younger Uchiha would react to a family reunion.

"I think that you know as well as I do, that I can find him. That doesn't necessarily mean that he'll want to be found though. Are you certain you wish for me to look into this matter? It may well end in more heartbreak for you. I wouldn't want to get your hopes up, only to have them crushed." Madara inquires gently.

"I would like to know if a reconciliation is possible. I know that it has been years, but he is my brother. That means something to me. I would like to have a real relationship with him. Preferably one where Sasuke joins our family business, but that is certainly not a requirement from my perspective." The smoky eyed criminal replies.

"Very well. I suppose in some ways, not knowing is worse than a rejection. I shall look into the matter immediately." Madara says as he sips his wine.

Later that night, Sasuke was out at a nightclub. Naruto and the other Rookies had wanted to go out and celebrate their graduation. Sasuke agreed to go, despite the fact that nightclubs were not his favorite place to be. It was a special occasion, after all. How many times in your life were you really going to graduate college?

Now Sasuke was really glad he had agreed to come. He was currently sitting at the bar and sipping on his drink. Sasuke couldn't remember the name of it, only that he couldn't pronounce it. Whatever it was, it tasted good. That was what mattered most. That and he was enjoying the view.

"Hey, Sasuke! Come dance with us!" Naruto calls out.

Naruto was Sasuke's best friend. The man was as straight as an arrow, but sometimes asked Sasuke to dance with him. It was a well known fact that many men found the idea of two women dancing together erotic. Apparently, the reverse was also true to a certain extent.

This didn't make any sense to Sasuke, but it worked for Naruto. Every time that he danced with Sasuke at some club, he always ended up going home with some pretty college girl. The raven haired man thought it was odd, but he didn't mind indulging his best friend. It was alright every now and then to humor him.

"Naruto, not now. Maybe in a few minutes, okay?" Sasuke asks.

He just couldn't tear his gaze away. Sasuke had never seen a more gorgeous man in his entire life. Sadly, he clearly wasn't at the club alone. Damn. That was disappointing. Oh well. He could at least enjoy the view and what a view it was.

The man in question probably had a good three or four inches on Sasuke in height and he was by no means short. His hair was black and with long bangs framing his face and slightly on the long side. His eyes were a soulful smoky gray color and he had lightly sun kissed skin with elegantly handsome facial features.

"Awe. Come on. You've done it before. What's wrong?" The blonde whines.

"Nothing's wrong. Just give me a few minutes." Sasuke says.

He had a medium build, but it was obvious he was in great shape. He was all sleek muscle like a leopard. His outfit was a little strange. A long black cape with red clouds on it, but it billowed around him with such a seductive elegance, that Sasuke could see why he chose it. It also hugged his backside rather nicely.

Naruto tilts his head. Something was seriously up with Sasuke. That's when he looks to see what was captivating his friend so much. Well more like who. Ohhh.

"Sasuke, if you like the guy, you should go for it." The blue eyed college grad beams.

"I don't think that's a good idea. He's not alone." Sasuke mutters.

That's when the other college grad takes a second look and winces. Oh yeah. The guy that caught Sasuke's eye was drinking with a red head.

"Damn. Bummer. Sorry." Sasuke's friend says.

"It's not your fault. Guys that look like that don't stay single for long. That doesn't mean that I can't admire the view though. Come on. I'll give you that dance now. I don't want his boyfriend to catch me checking him out and getting into a bar fight." Sasuke says with a smile.

"Alright. Yeah. That's probably a good idea." Naruto says as he drags Sasuke to the dance floor.

Sasuke smiles as he starts dancing with the blonde. Naruto was fun. No one could deny that. He had also stuck up for Sasuke when he first came out of the closet in high school. If it wasn't for Naruto, high school likely would have been lot rougher than it was for Sasuke. Thanks to him, the other Rookies had come around rather quickly and everyone else followed suit.

While Sasuke was dancing with Naruto, he was unaware that he was being watched. He was being watched by Itachi and to a lesser extent Sasori. Sasori throws back another shot of vodka and tries not to smirk. It was a rare person who could catch Itachi Uchiha's eye.

"I think we both know that blonde is straight and that he couldn't take his eyes off you. If you want him, you can probably convince him to come home with you." Sasori notes in amusement.

Itachi merely nods as he takes a few minutes to consider the situation. The blonde had to be straight and was just using his friend to get the attention of women. Fortunately for Goldilocks, it didn't look like his companion minded that fact.

He was stunning. Raven black hair with two long bangs framing the sides of his face and it was spiked exotically in the back. Itachi knew the difference between natural spikes and someone who went crazy with gel. Those were natural, like Madara's.

"He does have beautiful eyes." Itachi admits.

He had a beautiful everything actually, but it was his ass that drew Itachi's attention the most. They were darker than a starless sky, innocent, and framed by long lashes for a man.

The visual effect didn't stop there though. The man also had creamy ivory pale skin and aristocratic Japanese facial features. He looked familiar somehow, but Itachi couldn't place it.

"Yeah. Those are some nice eyes for a guy. I prefer women myself though." Sasori replies.

His clothing was fairly conservative for a twenty-something in a nightclub. A long sleeved white shirt and dark blue silk pants. The pants though hugged his hips and showed off his ass in a tastefully erotic way. He knew what flattered him and what didn't, it seemed.

"Good. I'm glad that you prefer women. I wouldn't want you to be devastated when he ignored your affections, in favor of mine." Itachi says with a smirk as he heads towards the dance floor.

"Oh this will be good." Sasori murmurs as he orders another vodka.

Sasuke was dancing with Naruto when suddenly the blonde just stopped. Curious to see why his friend had stopped dancing, he turns around and blinks. The Eye Candy had walked over to them.

"Would you mind, if I cut in? I think that we all know that your friend here prefers the company of women to men." Itachi says.

"Damn. Gay people have straightdar. Yeah. You're right. I mean it's alright, if it's okay with him." Naruto says.

"It's okay with me. Naruto, I'll catch up with you later." Sasuke says and the blonde nods, before slinking off.

Naruto smiles as he leaves. He was happy for his friend. It was pretty rare for Sasuke to actually be into anyone and he was definitely into the older man. If Naruto had to guess, college grad would say that the other man was probably around five years older than Sasuke.

It was a fairly significant age gap, but not enough to be creepy. Maybe that was Sasuke's problem during high school and college. Maybe he just preferred slightly older men? Naruto decides to ask him about that later. For now, he was just going to let Sasuke have his fun.

"That was quite kind of you to indulge him in that manner." Itachi muses as he wraps his arms around Sasuke's waist.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asks.

"It was obvious what he was doing. A straight man dancing with a gay man to attract the attention of women. You were humoring him. As I said, it was kind of you." Itachi says.

Sasuke didn't know what to say to that. It was rather obvious that the mysterious stranger had put two and two together quickly. He probably thought it was a juvenile move and it was, but it was also highly effective.

"You're right. What about you though? Does your boyfriend humor you by letting you dance with other men?" Sasuke asks cautiously.

"Sasori is not my boyfriend. He's as straight as they come. Had I know that was why you were being so shy, I would have asked him to leave awhile ago." Itachi informs him.

"I was NOT being shy." Sasuke protests as he turns around and begins dancing against the other man.

Itachi felt himself smirk. There was something adorably innocent about the younger man. He was actually going to deny that he was being shy. Well he might as well have some fun. It was just simply impossible to resist teasing him.

"Yes, you weren't being shy. That's why you couldn't take your eyes off of me and didn't approach me." Itachi purrs seductively into Sasuke's ear.

Sasuke felt himself shiver. Damn. That was a great voice. It was like a silken caress to his ears.

"I didn't approach you be-cause I thought that you were with Sasori. I don't steal other people's boyfriends." The raven haired man insists.

"Mmm that's good to know. It's always nice to run into someone with some morals. He's definitely not my boyfriend and currently I don't have a lover. I believe I overheard some of your friends celebrating a college graduation. Was it yours that they were celebrating?" He asks.

Sasuke blinks. He was actually fucking single? That was unbelievable. His inner child was currently doing a happy dance. Of course, he couldn't do that on the outside.

"Well actually, we were all in the same class. So it's everyone's graduation party." The raven haired man answers.

"Ah wonderful. You must be very proud of yourself. Though I imagine as a recent college graduate you are looking for a job. I seem to have a vacancy for the position of my lover. Perhaps you'd like to apply for the _position."_ He says.

 _Whoa._ Sasuke couldn't help but blink again. This was definitely someone who didn't hesitate to go after what he wanted.

"Maybe. What are the benefits and is there an exclusivity clause?" Sasuke counters as he continues to slide his body against Itachi's in a seductive dance.

Itachi smirks. He wasn't just a pretty face, it seemed. This man knew how to banter. That was always good. He required more than just good looks from his lovers.

"Oh there are A LOT of benefits and yes, there is an exclusivity clause." He counters.

Sasuke smiles and tilts his head back just enough to give Itachi a brief kiss. It was more of a brush of the lips than anything. He didn't want to seem too desperate, but he wasn't about to come off as disinterested.

"I'm listening." He whispers and Itachi smiles.

"Good. Why don't you come with me and we can discuss some of these benefits further?" Itachi says as he admires the way that Sasuke would sway against him.

There was a certain elegance to his movements. The man was grace personified. Despite the fact that he was technically performing the same moves that most of the other club goers were, there was something far more alluring about them.

"I'd like that, but won't Sasori be worried about you?" Sasuke asks.

"No. I think he pretty much assumes that we are going to be leaving together and I have his number. I'll give him a call later." Itachi says as he laces his fingers with Sasuke's and leads him into a private room.

"Alright." Sasuke says as they enter the private room and Itachi locks the door behind him.

Itachi was idly amused that he was allowing his hormones to control him this much. He hadn't gotten this carried away in years. When was the last time that he danced with a beautiful stranger before he even got their name?

"Since we are talking about exclusivity clauses, I think that we should exchange names at the very least. Don't you?" He asks.

"Mmm I don't know. I kinda like being tall, dark, and mysterious at the moment." Sasuke says with a smirk.

Itachi chuckles. He was certainly rather feisty now. He pushes Sasuke until he was sitting on the couch and soon joins him, sitting in his lap.

The Sharingan Dragon knew that it was rather irresponsible to do what he did next. He didn't care though. There was just something irresistible about those beautiful eyes and that cocky smirk. He kisses him.

"Mmm well perhaps I can persuade you to be a little bit more forthcoming." Itachi whispers after breaking the kiss.

"Maybe. You'd have to make a very convincing argument though." Sasuke whispers back as he kisses Itachi once more.

Itachi smirks and returns the kiss. The other man tasted like red wine to him with just a hint of cinnamon flavored candy. He wasn't sure why, but he combination was intoxicating to him and his lips were so soft and warm.

Sasuke felt himself moan into the kiss. He found himself wrapping his arms around the other man's neck and running his fingers through his hair. What was wrong with him? He was right. Sasuke really should have at least gotten his name before they started making out.

"Mmm was that a convincing enough case?" Itachi asks, after breaking the kiss.

"It was fairly convincing. I think that we can do better though. I mean if you are aiming for exclusivity, you'll have to convince me that I'm not missing out on something better." Sasuke taunts him.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are a unique combination of shy, sassy, and sadistic?" Itachi muses.

Sasuke shakes his head. No. He'd been called all those things over the course of his life, but never all at once. If nothing else, his potential new boyfriend was rather thorough with his descriptions.

"No. Well at least they haven't called me all three of those things at the same time." He admits.

"Ah. I see. Well you are. Still I suppose that you are right." Itachi says as he leaves a trail of soft kisses against the college grad's neck.

Sasuke felt his breath hitch and he leaned into his companion. Fuck. That felt good. His neck had always been his spot. He tries to bite back a moan when Itachi began nipping and sucking on the sensitive flesh, but fails miserably.

"Mmm. God that feels good." Sasuke sighs in contentment as he tilts his head to the side and exposes more of his neck.

Itachii smirks once more. There was something incredibly erotic about the submissive gesture. He really hoped that this one didn't mind his _unique_ career choice. He wanted to keep this one around.

"I think that I've made my case. Why don't you tell me your name, angel?" He asks.

"Mmm yeah. You have. Sasuke. It's Sasuke." He answers breathlessly.

Itachi blinks. He had been growing more and more aroused as more kisses were exchanged and they engaged in a little necking. Now he suddenly felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice water over his lap.

"Please tell me that your last name isn't Uchiha." Itachi whispers.

Sasuke looks up at Itachi in confusion. How did the hottie know his last name? That didn't make any sense.

"Alright. I won't tell you. How did you know though?" Sasuke asks warily.

"It seems that we share more in common than just our sexual orientation." He mutters.

"You lost me. What's wrong?" The raven haired college grad asks in an utterly baffled voice.

Itachi couldn't believe it. The captivating angel who had just been moaning so sweetly in his arms was his brother. Sasuke. He had found Sasuke and almost seduced him.

"My name is Itachi. Itachi Uchiha. I'm your brother. I had no idea that you were well you." He whispers.

Sasuke's eyes widen in horror. Fuck! Fuck! No! This couldn't be happening. He did not just make out with his own brother. This had to be some kind of dream.

The youngest Uchiha pinches himself. Hopefully, it wouldn't hurt and he'd find out that this was just a really bizarre dream. There was no way that this could be happening. He groans when he felt a slight bit of pain from the pain.

"Oh God. I'm so sorry. I didn't know." He stammers out.

"It's alright. I didn't know either. I suppose that will teach us a valuable lesson. Always ask for someone's name, before trying to seduce them." Itachi muses.

Sasuke had no idea how his brother could be so calm. They had just kissed and Itachi had probably given him a few hickeys! Brothers weren't supposed to kiss and give each other hickeys! That was wrong!

"Y-eah. I guess so. Let's just pretend that didn't happen? I mean neither of us knew and it was just some kissing and necking. No big deal?" Sasuke pleads with him desperately.

Itachi sighs. He had been hoping that the gorgeous graduate wasn't actually his brother. Unfortunately, he had never been a particularly lucky individual. So of course the one person that he had found that he had an instant connection with, would be his baby brother.

That didn't bother him too much though. In his mind, the main reason such relationships were taboo in the first place was because of the health risks that came with inbreeding. They were both men. Clearly, that wasn't an issue in their case.

"Don't worry about it. Well I was hoping that you would fill the position of being my lover. That's alright though. Now that I know who you are, I have another offer for you. How would you like to join our family business?" Itachi asks.

Sasuke tilts his head to the side. Itachi was offering him a job? Well a job would be nice, but he had no idea what his brother meant by the family business.

"I don't know. I mean I guess it depends what the family business is. What would I be doing?" He asks innocently.

Itachi smiles. Sasuke was still Sasuke. He was still so innocent. This time though, the elder Uchiha was not going to let their mother separate them and he was going to have so much fun turning him into a damn fine Dragon.

"Our family business is rather diverse. We do a little bit of everything really. We run Sharingan Corporation." Itachi explains.

Sasuke blinks. To the rest of the world, Sharingan Corporation was one of the biggest corporations in the world. They dabbled in everything from sports, technology, law, and almost everything in between.

"In that case, sure. It'd be nice to actually have a chance to get to know you. Does dad work there as well?" Sasuke asks.

"Everyone on our father's side of the family works there. You can think of it as the ultimate family reunion really." Itachi assures him.

"Great. I'd like that. I've missed you, brother." Sasuke says with a sweet smile.

Itachi smiles back and hugs him. He had missed Sasuke too. He never thought hat he would want his own brother in that way, but he was a Sharingan Dragon. He wasn't going to let a little thing like society's norms stop him from getting what he wanted. Besides, Sasuke wanted him too. He'd get over the taboo aspect of their relationship, eventually.

"I've missed you too. My foolish little brother." Itachi says and smiles as he pokes his forehead.

"OWE! Why do you always do that?!" Sasuke growls.

"Because I'm your elder brother and it's my job to annoy you now and then as a way of showing my love." Itachi informs him.

"Well you do a good fucking job of that. Enough with the forehead poking!" Sasuke grumbles.

Itachi shakes his head. He couldn't resist. He pokes Sasuke's forehead again. Sasuke had been an adorable child when he was annoyed, now there was just something irresistible about his scowl of annoyance.

"Come on. I'll take you to see father, if you like. Why don't you go tell your friends that you are leaving and I'll meet you in the parking lot?" Itachi suggests.

"Alright. I'll be there in a few minutes." Sasuke says as he walks off.

As he does so, Sasuke's heart was pounding. He couldn't believe that he had just made out with his brother. He could still feel the warmth of his lips and the taste of his kiss.

The youngest Uchiha knew that he should be absolutely disgusted now. Mostly though, he was horrified because he couldn't deny one simple fact. He had _**liked**_ it.


	2. Chapter 2

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I know that some people were curious about the circumstances behind the divorce. That and some other things will be revealed. With that being said, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 2

A few minutes later, Sasuke finds Naruto. Perhaps not surprisingly, the idiot was already dancing with some busty cheerleader that he recognized from their university. Sasuke mentally rolls his eyes at this and taps Naruto on the shoulder.

"Hey, I'm going to cut out early. I'll tell you what happened later." Sasuke promises.

"Alright. Have fun. Remember, tomorrow you have to tell me EVERYTHING." Naruto says with a grin.

Sasuke shakes his head. He didn't even know how to respond to that. What could he say? He certainly wasn't about to mention the fact that he had found his long lost brother in front of some random coed. His really hot, long lost brother. His long lost brother who was an amazing kisser and that Sasuke had been discussing exclusivity clauses with.

"Yeah. I'll tell you everything, tomorrow. It's a very long story. Let the others know that I'm okay. Just tell them that I caught out early because I bumped into an old friend." Sasuke says as he bounds off.

An old friend was probably the easiest way to put it. He was going to wait to spring the whole long lost sibling thing on them, until after Sasuke figured out what sort of relationship Itachi wanted with him. Obviously, romance was now out of the question.

"Hopefully, he's still there when I get to the parking lot." Sasuke says as he races towards their agreed upon meeting spot.

Once upon a time though, they had been close. Sasuke had idolized his older brother. He had been heartbroken when his mother told him that he was never to speak to his father or Itachi again

She wouldn't even tell him why. He had begged and pleaded, but it was all to now avail. Now ten years later, Sasuke realized that he might finally find out what really happened between Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha.

"Sasuke!" Itachi calls out and the younger Uchiha dutifully strides over to him.

Itachi tries not to laugh. It was rather endearing, really. Sasuke was very much the picture of an adorable puppy that followed you home from school one day. He almost felt guilty for what he was about to do.

Sasuke really was so innocent. His eyes were shinning with happiness. His baby brother was genuinely happy to be reunited, even after what he likely considered to be a very embarrassing incident. It was heartwarming.

"Hey! I'm glad you didn't take off. So which one is your car?" The raven haired college grad inquires.

"I would never willingly leave you behind. I told you that I would meet you in the parking lot and I am a man of my word. I always keep my promises, Sasuke." Itachi says as he caresses the his brother's cheek.

Sasuke was willing to forget that they had committed one of the ultimate taboos in modern and most historical societies. They had desired one of their own. The younger Uchiha was willing move on with that and even potentially accept a job working with Itachi. In exchange for this display of complete trust, Itachi was going to convince him to join the Sharingan Dragons.

He was going to convince his innocent baby brother to join one of the most powerful criminal organizations on Earth. In a way, he couldn't help but feel a bit guilty at that knowledge. Mostly though, there was something incredibly alluring about the prospect of corrupting the gorgeous man that was standing just a few feet away from him.

"That's go-od to know. So yeah. Where's your c-ar?" Sasuke asks again.

Sasuke mentally winces. He was stuttering and stammering around like a schoolboy with his first crush. It was embarrassing. An innocent, platonic touch like that from his brother should not cause him to react this way.

He shouldn't be stuttering. His heart shouldn't be racing. Oh and he definitely should not want to lean into Itachi's touch and kiss him again.

He must be sick. Why else would his body be reacting this way to someone who used to read him bedtime stories and comfort him when he had nightmares? Sasuke bites his lower lip as he contemplates whether or not he could even tell Naruto about this.

"This is my car." Itachi says as he opens the door of a beautiful red convertible.

They had always told each other everything, but Sasuke wasn't sure if he should tell the blonde about this one. Naruto was a wonderful friend and good at keeping secrets when it was important, but this was on a completely different level. He could only hope that eventually his body would get the memo that his brain had received. Itachi was FIRMLY off limits.

That's when he realized that his brother was speaking to him and had opened a car door. Itachi had opened the door of a gorgeous and really expensive convertible. Sasuke blinks at the knowledge that that car had likely cost more than a year of his tuition.

"THIS is your car?" He asks in shock as he gets inside it.

"Mhm. I told you, I work for Sharingan. Sharingan compensates its employees rather generously. Of course, in return they do expect a certain degree of loyalty." Itachi informs him as he reaches over to buckle Sasuke's seatbelt.

"Well yeah. If they are paying you enough to get this kind of car before you are thirty, I would imagine so." Sasuke says.

Itachi couldn't help but smile. He could scarcely remember a time when he had been as easily impressed by a fancy car as Sasuke was. Well boys would be boys, he supposed.

Once Sasuke joined the Sharingan Dragons, he could have whatever kind of car he wanted. He could have all that and more. After all, they were dragons. Dragons were famous for their protecting their treasure.

"I'm glad you feel that way. Of course, we would start you off small as you're new to whatever your chosen field is. What was your major?" Itachi inquires as he finishes fastening Sasuke's seatbelt.

Sasuke tries not to blush at the surprisingly intimate gesture. He had no idea how Itachi could make something as mundane as fastening a seatbelt sexy, but he did. He really hoped to God that he wasn't actually blushing.

Suddenly, he found himself grateful for the change in topic. Majors. Jobs. Those were safe topics. Those were normal topics that you could discuss with anyone, even your sexy brother.

"I double majored. Business and Political Science. Minored in History." He answers.

"An interesting combination. I think that we can easily find you something in Sharingan. I was also a double major. It seems that overachieving runs in our family." Itachi muses as he buckles his seatbelt and he drives off.

Sasuke tilts his head to the side curiously. He couldn't help but wonder what Itachi had studied. Itachi was a little older than him. He probably knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life by now. All Sasuke had was a vague childish notion of what he wanted to do. The same thing he had wanted to do since he was ten.

"Really? What did you take?" Sasuke asks.

"Economics and International Law. I minored in history as you did. I suspect you are like me and enjoy the subject, but didn't see very many practical applications for it when it came to a career." Itachi answers.

"Yeah. You're right about the history thing." Sasuke admits.

He was pleased to have at least a couple of things in common with his brother, even if they were just academic. It would give them something to talk about. Something to talk about that wouldn't remind Sasuke of their heated kisses. He really, really need that.

"Ah here we are. Our great uncle is the current CEO of Sharingan Corp. His name is Madara. Madara owns several properties, but this is the one that he is currently residing in for the moment. I suppose it's only fair to warn you that his presence can often be a little intimidating at first." Itachi warns him as he parks his car a few minutes later and heads towards a massive gate.

Sasuke blinks. That wasn't a house. That wasn't even a mansion. That building should be classified as a palace. He knew that Sharingan was one of the biggest corporations in the world and Madara was the CEO, but somehow that fact hadn't really hit home until now.

The building was probably bigger than Sasuke's entire high school had been. It was beautiful. Pure white with large marble columns. Really, it reminded Sasuke of ancient Greece and the gardens were filled with stunning roses that seemed to come in every color imaginable. Not to mention there were gorgeous fountains and sculptures scattered here and there.

"Wow." Sasuke whispers.

"As I said, Sharingan compensates its employees generously. So you can imagine that the CEO is also highly paid." Itachi states with amusement as he gestures for Sasuke to follow him.

The elder Uchiha scans his fingerprints. Sasuke blinks. His uncle was a bit paranoid. Then again, maybe he had good reason to be. He was damn sure that robbers would love to get into this place.

"You need to either be in the system or enter with someone who is. For now, you can't get into this place without me or another member of our family. I imagine that you'll be added soon enough." Itachi tells him.

"What would happen to me, if I tried to get in without you or someone else?" Sasuke asks.

"You haven't changed at all. You are still just as inquisitive as ever. Sasuke, let's just say that you don't want to find out the answer to that question." The elder Uchiha warns him and Sasuke simply nods.

The gates open and Itachi leads Sasuke inside the massive building. The Business Major was really glad that Itachi was with him. Otherwise, he knew that he would get lost in this place.

The inside was just as stunning as the outside. The carpet was made of a red velvet material and upon the walls hung dozens of beautiful, historical paintings. There were also chandeliers living the ceiling and likely hundreds of rooms.

"He's likely in his study." Itachi says as he leads Sasuke up a gorgeous spiraled staircase that looked like something straight out of a fairytale.

Soon enough, they come upon a door and Itachi knocks on it. It didn't take long for someone to open it. Sasuke blinks at the man who did.

He was tall and broad shouldered. The man had what could only be described as a mane of wild black hair. Seriously, it reminded Sasuke of a lion. His eyes were crimson red and very calculating.

This man was his GREAT Uncle?! How could that be possible? He looked forty. Well maybe he had just aged well or used his money to undergo some really amazing plastic surgery.

"Good evening, Uncle. It seems that you don't need to track Sasuke down, after all. I found him in a nightclub, celebrating his graduation with some of his friends." Itachi says as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Ah that is wonderful news. It is so good to finally meet you. You do certainly take after Izuna. He's my brother and your other Great Uncle. It's like looking at a picture of him from over forty years ago. Amazing. Come inside." He says as he walks back inside his study.

Sasuke noted that Madara had a handsome black leather couch and two red velvet chairs inside his study. There was also a magnificent cherrywood coffee table and several bookshelves that were stacked with likely hundreds of books. In the corner was a handsome grandfather clock and there was lovely Persian Rug upon the floor.

"It's good to finally meet you too. I don't really know much about father's side of the family, I'm afraid." Sasuke confesses.

"That's probably because of the divorce. It was a rather vicious one." Madara comments.

"Do you know why it happened? Mother won't tell me, no matter how many times I ask. Whatever it is, I can take it. I just want to know." Sasuke asks.

Madara sighs. He really was too much like Izuna for his own good. Sasuke had definitely inherited those damn puppy eyes of his.

"I'm not entirely certain that I should be the one to tell you that. I think that is more Fugaku's place than mine." The CEO replies.

Sasuke blinks. Itachi had said that it was a family business. He just hadn't really thought about what that entailed. It sounded like there was a very real possibility that he could see his father for the first time in a decade. That knowledge made Sasuke feel almost dizzy.

"Do you think that he'd agree to meet with me?" Sasuke asks cautiously.

Itachi shakes head and wraps his arms around Sasuke protectively. He hated that it had come to this. His brother wasn't even sure if their father would want to speak with him. That was heartbreaking.

"I know that he will be over the Moon to see you again. He talks about you all the time. He did want to keep in touch with you, but our mother wouldn't let any of us near you." Itachi whispers.

Sasuke nods slowly as he tries to process that. The general consensus seemed to be that for some reason, Mikoto didn't want him to have anything to do with his father's side of the family. He just wasn't sure why.

"What did he cheat on her or something? I could see why she would divorce him, if that was the case. That doesn't explain why she'd cut me off from the two of you though." Sasuke demands.

"Oh no. It was nothing like that. Fugaku Uchiha is many things, but unfaithful is not one of them. That much I can most certainly assure you of." Madara says.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He was at a loss for why his mother would completely hid half of his family tree from him. Other than cheating, he wasn't sure what else it could possibly be.

"Alright. I'll ask him, if he wants to see me." Sasuke replies.

"He's going to want to see you, Sasuke." Itachi assures him and pokes his forehead.

"OWE! Not that stupid forehead thing again!" The younger Uchiha practically snarls at Itachi in annoyance.

Madara shakes his head in amusement. Well it seemed that their relationship was picking up, right where it left off. He was happy for the brothers. Truly.

Now came the hard part. Somehow, they would have to convince Sasuke to accept their unique lifestyle choices. Preferably, he would join them. That second part was going to be a much harder hill to climb though. He had been raised by Mikoto Uchiha. That meant that this kid was probably on the straight and narrow path as far as being a law-abiding citizen was concerned.

"Yes, the stupid forehead thing again. I'm going to do it, every time you doubt yourself like that. Father will want to see you. I'm sure of it." The smoky eyed Uchiha states firmly.

"Alright." Sasuke says.

"I'll give Fugaku a call and arrange for a meeting. Would you like to stay here for tonight? It's already rather late." Madara inquires.

Sasuke bites his lower lip. Logic told him that staying in a "stranger's" house wasn't a smart move, but these people were his family. It would be good to get to know them. That and he really wanted to explore the place.

"I'd like that. Thank you." Sasuke says with a smile.

"Wonderful. Itachi, why don't you find him a guestroom to stay in for the night?" Madara suggests and Itachi nods his head in agreement as he offers Sasuke his arm.

Sasuke took Itachi's arm. Itachi smiles as he notices that his baby brother seemed to trust him instinctively. That or he was just a naturally accommodating person. It was hard to tell which.

The last time that Itachi had seen him, the man had only been thirteen. A lot could change between your thirteenth birthday and your twenty-third. There was a lot that he had to learn about Sasuke and he decides now as good a time as any to start.

"Sasuke, I want you to know that I am introducing you to a whole new world. Some parts of it may be rather overwhelming, at first. I know that this isn't what you are accustomed to, but I want you to promise me that you will give Sharingan and our family a chance." He says as he leads him into a guestroom.

"Itachi, it's a corporation. How freaky can it really be? Besides, I've missed you and father. I'm sure underneath all that hair Madara has, there is probably a loving uncle. I'll give it a fair chance." Sasuke tells him with a smile.

"Good. I'm glad to hear that. Do you like the room?" Itachi asks.

Sasuke looks around in awe. There was a white king sized canopy bed, bayb blue walls, a silver carpet, connected bathroom, wardrobe, computer, lab top, and even a mini fridge. Madara apparently went all out for his guests.

"You're kidding me, right? This place is amazing." Sasuke says.

"Good. I'm glad you like it. Good night, Sasuke. Sleep well. I'll be in the room just across the hall, if you need _anything._ " Itachi assures him as he places a kiss on his forehead, before departing.

Sasuke groans. He was so screwed. It was just an innocent chaste kiss to the forehead and his legs currently felt like goo. God, he was pathetic. He needed to get over this attraction. It was sick. It was twisted and it was wrong!

"Dammit!" Sasuke mutters as he smacks his fist against the wall in frustration.

What Sasuke didn't know is that Itachi heard that. He heard the hit against the wall and the mild swearing. The elder Uchiha smirks. Despite the fact that Sasuke knew they were related, he was still affected by him. That was a very good sign.

Meanwhile Madara gets on the phone and place a call to his nephew, Fugaku. He smiles when the other man picked up the phone almost immediately. That was one of the things that he liked most about he other man. He never wasted Madara's time.

"Hello." Fugaku says into the phone.

"Ah. There you are. My dearest nephew, I do believe you are long overdo for a visit. I have a surprise waiting for you. One that I think you are going to like a great deal." Madara replies with a smirk in his voice.

Fugaku wasn't really sure how Madara did it, but somehow he could "hear" the smirk in his uncle's voice. It was a gift, he supposed. Though that didn't answer the question that was now burning in his mind. What sort of surprise did Madara Uchiha have in store for him?

"Madara, just tell me what it is. I'm in the middle of going over our quarterly profits and I don't want to have to stop because you felt like playing a prank." The younger man snaps at him.

Madara chuckles. Fugaku Uchiha was also quite the workhorse. While he rarely engaged in any of the less savory aspects of the family business, he was excellent at finances. This was a trait that Itachi had inherited. Even if the men hadn't been related to him, he still would have hired them because they were both financial wizards.

"While I admire your dedication, I think that you'll agree with me this is a far more important matter. The quarterly reports can wait a few days. Family comes first." The crimson eyed man says.

Family comes first? What was Madara talking about? He was working for their family by doing the quarterly reports. What could possibly have elicited such an unexpected reaction from his uncle, Fugaku muses.

"You have peaked my curiosity. What is it?" Fugaku demands.

"Well as you know Itachi is still quite young. Sometimes he likes to patronize nightclubs with his friends." Madara begins.

Fugaku raises an eyebrow. It wasn't exactly a habit that he encouraged, but Itachi was an adult. If he wanted to go clubbing, he was fully entitled to do so.

"Yes, I'm aware of that. What's so unusual about a twenty something year old man, going to a nightclub?" He inquires.

"It's more who he found when he went to the nightclub. Itachi ran into Sasuke. Your youngest son is currently at Amaterasu with myself and Itachi. It's late. I imagine he's about to go to sleep now, but I did tell him that I would inform you of his presence here. He is most eager to see you again." Madara says.

Amatersau was the name of one of Madara's Estates. It was a grand one, even by Sharingan Standards. As far as Fugaku could tell, it was also Madara's favorite.

"Madara, I am leaving right now. I'll be there in about 15 minutes. This had been not be a joke because that would just be the height of cruelty." He warns him.

"I would never joke about something as serious as this. I know how much you have missed him. I'll see you soon." Madara says as he hangs up.

Fugaku immediately throws on his shoes and heads to his car. He could scarcely believe it. Could it really be that Itachi had just stumbled upon his brother and somehow gotten Sasuke to come home with him? How was such a thing possible?

He mentally slaps himself. He could worry about the how later. What mattered is if it was really true. Fugaku quickly drives off and sighs as he remembered how he had gotten into this situation. He had never meant for any of this to happen.

 _Ten years ago, Fugaku had been a very lucky man. He was wealthy, healthy, and had a beautiful family whom he adored more than anything. He and his wife were very much in love and had two wonderful sons. Everything had been perfect, until that night._

 _Fugaku came home from Sharingan Corp one night, only to find his wife frantically throwing things into her suitcase. She was clearly packing and in a hurry to leave. She looked as though she had spent the better part of the day crying and silent tears were still flowing down her beautiful face._

 _"Mikoto, what's wrong?" He asked._

 _"Everything. How could you keep this from me?!" She demands._

 _It was at that moment, that Fugaku knew his life would never be the same. He didn't even have to ask Mikoto what she meant. She must have somehow found out the truth about Sharingan._

 _"Kitten, calm down. We can talk about this. I'm sorry that I kept it a secret from you. I just didn't know how to tell you." He pleaded with her and reached out his hand to caress her cheek._

 _"Don't you, Kitten me! You lied to me for years! How long have you been part of this…strange Japanese Mafia?!" She demanded._

 _He felt his heart sink into his chest. Somehow, he had to make her understand. He had done it for her and their sons. That and it was in Fugaku's blood. He was born to be a Dragon. That was just who he was._

 _"A long time. I never lied to you. I really am the Chief Financial Officer for Sharingan Corp. It's just that Sharingan Corp is a rather diverse business. Half of doesn't operate by the book. That's all. Mikoto, you have to understand. My family has been in the Sharingan Dragons for centuries. It's our legacy." He told her._

 _"It may be your legacy, but it isn't going to be our sons' legacy. Fugaku, I love you. I really do, but I can't do this. I can't condone this. The Sharingan Dragons sometimes kill people. Take back your ring. I can't wear it. I know that it was likely paid for with blood money. I'm leaving and I'm going to fight for custody. Don't try to stop me or I WILL go to the police." She warned him._

 _His eyes widen in horror and he immediately pinned her to the wall. Mikoto had always been his Kitten. On that day, she was a tigress. She kicked, she screamed, and she even bit him. Several times. He was lucky that he didn't need stitches._

 _"Mikoto, I know that I don't have a right to ask you this, but I want you to stay. You know that I love you. Do you really want to resign our boys to a part-time father? Do you really want to go through an ugly custody battle? There is no need. We love each other. We can make this work. I can just work on projects that are on the book." He pleaded with her._

 _"That's not good enough. You are part of an organization that MURDERS people, Fugaku! Now, let go of me. If you try to stop me, I mean it. I will go to the police!" She yelled at him._

 _He felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. Mikoto and the boys were his everything and now there was a very real chance that he had lost his wife. He might even lose his sons._

 _"I'll let you go, Kitten. I would never hurt you or force you to stay, but don't go to the police. You don't really understand what you are dealing with. The Sharingan Dragons are numerous and they have people working in police departments all over this country. There are Sharingan Dragon judges! If you snitch, they will kill you. I won't be able to protect you from all of them. So please, please don't tell the police." He begged her._

 _"Alright. I won't tell the police, but I am leaving. I'm also going to fight you for custody. I'm not going to have our sons exposed to this. I won't. Not without a fight." She informed him as she wiggled out of his grasp and headed towards the door._

 _She quickly grabbed her suitcase as she opened the door. Mikoto looked back for just a second and Fugaku thought that maybe, maybe she would change her mind. She didn't though. She just threw her wedding ring at him._

 _"I don't want anything purchased with blood money." She said quickly and she ran out of there like a bat out of Hell._

Other than the court hearings, that was the last time he saw her in person. His heart ached for the loss of his wife and his youngest son. Now at least, maybe he could have Sasuke back. That was the only thought on his mind as he arrives at Madara's Estate and allows the machine to scan his fingerprints.

"This time, things will be different." He mutters to himself.

This time, he wasn't going to lose Sasuke. He'd find a way to make up for all those wasted years. Fugaku wasn't sure how he was going to go about doing that exactly, but he would. He had to.


	3. Chapter 3

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. This story is a lot of fun to write because of them. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** There is a very slight reference to polytheistic mythology. This is not meant to endorse or insult anyone's religious views.

Chapter 3

Fugaku quickly rushes inside Amaterasu. His heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest as he races towards Madara's Study. Once he arrives, the Uchiha knocks on the door.

 _Knock! Knock! Knock!_ Sasuke blinks when he hears someone knocking rather urgently on the door. He gets up and cautiously goes to answer it. When he opened it, his eyes widened in shock at who it was. His father.

"Ah there he is. You said fifteen minutes, Fugaku. You made it in eight. That's impressive. I'm surprised a cop didn't give you a speeding ticket." Madara chuckles.

"Dad?" Sasuke whispers as though he couldn't really believe the other man was standing, right in front of him.

"Sasuke!" Fugaku says as he tightly embraces his youngest son and Sasuke returns the bear hug.

Madara smiles. It was a touching scene. He had only been joking about the speeding ticket thing though. Even if a cop had been stupid enough to give Fugaku one, he never would have had to pay it. They had too many Dragons embedded in the local police department for that to happen.

"It really is you." Sasuke observes in a stunned voice.

Fugaku was ten years older, but he looked almost exactly the same. Sasuke idly muses that his family had good genes when it came to aging. First, Madara could pass for forty and now his father could pass for thirty. It was impressive really.

"Yes, it's me. I can't believe it. You've grown so much. Well of course you have. It has been a decade. You look so much like your mother. It's uncanny really." Fugaku murmurs.

"It's a miracle. Isn't it, father?" Itachi asks and the CFO nods in agreement.

What else could you call it? What were the odds that Itachi would happen to be in the same nightclub as Sasuke and that they would bump into each other? There had to be hundreds of people in that place. It was incredible.

"Yes, it is a miracle. You have no idea how much I have missed you, Sasuke. I swear that I did everything I could to find you. Your mother is a very clever woman though. If she doesn't want to be found, well she's not going to be." He apologizes.

The father of two didn't really know what else he could say. He wanted so badly to make Sasuke understand. He hadn't abandoned him.

"I know. Mother won't even speak about either of you. She gets angry, if I ask and I ask a lot. It's so good to see you again." Sasuke says with a smile.

Itachi watches the entire scene unfold with Madara. That smile was so sweet. It was so sincere and so genuine. Could he really do it? Could Itachi really convince Sasuke to become a Sharingan Dragon?

He was confident in his persuasion skills. That wasn't the issue. The issue was a moral one.

Sasuke was completely uncorrupted. He was like freshly fallen snow at the moment and Itachi wanted to drag him down into the mud. He should be ashamed of himself.

"It's alright. I understand. She had every right to be angry with me. How is she? Is she happy?" Fugaku asks.

Sasuke bites his lower lip. He wasn't really sure, if he should tell his father that. Mikoto had divorced him for a reason. Surely, it must have been a damn good one to go through all this trouble to make sure that Fugaku couldn't find her.

"I don't know if I should answer that. I don't want to violate her privacy, but she's alive and well." Sasuke tells him.

"You always were such a sweet boy. Well if nothing else, we definitely know that you aren't a gossiper. So that's good." Fugaku says with a pained smile.

Sasuke noted that it was a forced smile. He had always assumed that the divorce was a mutual decision. Judging by that smile though, that hadn't been the case.

Was it possible that his father still love his mother on some level? That or maybe Fugaku just felt guilty. Sasuke couldn't tell which was more likely at the moment.

"Yeah. I'm definitely not into gossip." Sasuke assures him.

"Good. That's an admirable quality. I'm afraid that even I have been known to indulge in the pursuit from time to time." The middle aged man admits.

"It's hard to imagine you gossiping." Sasuke muses.

Madara chuckles. Fugaku might like to project an image of a respectable, no nonsense businessman. He knew the truth. The younger Uchiha was just as human as anyone else. That meant that every so often, he got suckered into Sharingan Gossip.

"I know that it is hard to believe, but it is true." Madara confirms with a wink.

Sasuke blinks. There was something really disturbing about a sixty plus year old man, winking at you. He didn't really know how to process that.

"Well we have so much to catch up on." Fugaku says with a smile.

"Yeah. There's a lot that I want to tell you and Itachi, of course." The raven haired Uchiha says brightly.

"Naturally. Madara, I hope you won't mind, if Sasuke takes me to his room. I'd like to speak to my boys in private." The CFO says.

Madara merely nods his head in approval. He understood completely. Truly, he was quite pleased at the unexpected turn of events. He had no doubt that in time, Sasuke would make a fine Dragon.

"Of course. I'll talk to you tomorrow. I have to go over a few reports anyway. Sasuke, I do look forward to getting to know you as well. Welcome back to our family. Once an Uchiha, always an Uchiha. Remember that." The wild haired man states.

"Yeah. I'll definitely remember that. Good night, Uncle Madara." The youngest Uchiha says as he leads his father and brother back to his room.

Sasuke sits on the bed and Fugaku sits next to him. The youngest Uchiha notes that Itachi had pulled a chair up to the bed and was looking at him expectantly. Sasuke fought back a blush.

Hopefully, things would get easier now. If his father was sitting right next to him, maybe that would drive the point home. Itachi was his brother. He would never be his lover. Sasuke desperately needed to be reminded of that.

"How have you been?" Sasuke asks lamely.

The college grad wasn't sure how else to start. It sounded so pathetic, even to his own ears. He was grateful when Fugaku and Itachi didn't start laughing at him.

"Financially, I am doing quite well for myself. I'm in excellent physical health. Emotionally, well I never really recovered from the divorce and losing you. I'm fortunate that I had Itachi. I'm not really sure what I would have done without him." Fugaku admits.

Itachi smiles and places a reassuring hand on his father's shoulder. It was heartwarming to hear him speak that way. Unfortunately, it also made him feel terribly guilty. Would his father still speak so highly of him, if Fugaku was aware that he was planning to seduce his baby brother?

"I feel the same way." He murmurs and he meant it.

"Good. So Sasuke, I suppose that this is the part where I return your question back to you. How have you been?" Fugaku asks.

Sasuke felt marginally less pathetic, when his father asked that. It looked like they were both truly at a loss for words. Good. It was good to know that he wasn't the only one out of his element here.

"Pretty good. I got into the college that I wanted. Double Majored in Business and Political Science with a minor in History. I have friends. Other than keeping me away from you guys, mother and I get along great. Financially, well I have student loans to pay off, but I'll be okay. Oh and yeah, I'm in good health too." Sasuke finishes.

"Good. I'm glad to hear it. Mikoto was always a devoted mother. So that doesn't surprise me. It sounds like you are quite the academic. You and Itachi are similar in that respect. Student loans can be quite the nuisance, but I suppose they are almost unavoidable these days. It's also certainly a relief to hear that you don't have any health problems." Fugaku replies.

Sasuke nods. He didn't miss the fondness with which Fugaku said Mikoto's name. It really had been a one-sided divorce after all.

"I want to know what happened. I think I have a right to know. I want to know what happened between you and mother." He states firmly.

"I will tell you everything that you want to know. If you like, I'll tell you right now. Though do you really want to spoil this moment by reopening old wounds?" His father asks.

The raven haired man sighs. Fugaku had a good point there. He hadn't seen the man in ten years. He should probably hold off on the interrogations for a little while anyway.

"Yeah. You're right. You WILL tell me though, right?" Sasuke asks.

"Of course, I'll tell you. We haven't seen each other in a long time. So you may have forgotten this, but I am a man of my word. Itachi will vouch for me on this matter." Fugaku assures him.

"Father's telling the truth. I've never known him not to keep his word." Itachi confirms.

Sasuke nods. Well that was a start. He smiles and embraces them both. It was so good to have his family back. He loved his mother, but a part of him had been missing since he was thirteen and he had finally found it.

Meanwhile Mikoto sighs as she glance at the clock. Tomorrow would be her birthday and her birthday always reminded her of him. She clenches her fists so tightly in frustration that she could feel her fingernails dig into her skin.

"Why? I should be beyond this point by now." She sighs.

Mikoto heads to her dresser and slowly opens one of the drawers. Inside was a photo album. She smiles and opens the book until she got to THAT page. The one with the perfectly preserved white rose inside it. It always brought back the memory of that night.

 _Mikoto was only eighteen years old and enjoying her freshmen year of college. Tonight was a very special night. Her Sorority was hosting a grand party to celebrate the Chinese New Year._

 _Everyone was dressed as an animal from the Chinese Zodiac. She had chosen to dress as a tiger. This was obviously one of the more popular choices amongst the girls in the Sorority, but she liked to believe that her costume was special. She was white tigress. Everyone else was orange._

 _"Meow. Hey, gorgeous. You wanna dance? I bet I can make you purr." One of the frat boys said to her._

 _Mikoto was almost positive that he was intoxicated. Though she had to admit that she had certainly heard worse pickup lines. Sadly, most college boys weren't really that creative when it came to flirtation. It was a big annoying, really._

 _"No, thank you. I'm feeling a little tired. It's these damn high heels. I hope you understand." She lied._

 _"Awe come on. It's just one dance." He said as he pulled her close and grabbed her by the ass._

 _That did it. Mikoto grabbed him by his other arm and slammed him into the floor. How dare he touch her like that? Had she not just told him that she wasn't interested?_

 _"Damn. You are one frigid bitch." He growled at her as he stood up and went to take a swing at her._

 _His fist never connected. Someone else threw him away from her. Yes, THREW him away from her. Whoever the man was, he had just thrown that 200 pound frat boy like he was nothing!_

 _"I deeply apologize on behalf of my gender. Some of us, just can't hold our liquor. I'm Fugaku." He said to her._

 _"I'm Mikoto. Thank you. Is he going to be alright? He's a creep, but he isn't going to need to go to the Emergency Room, is he?" She asked._

 _"No. I don't think he'll need to go to the Emergency Room, Mikoto. I am impressed though. I never would have thought an adorable kitten such as yourself would have such sharp claws." Fugaku told her._

 _Mikoto smiled. This was a MAN. She could tell that he was a bit older than her. She assumed he was a Grad Student. He was also a really hot Grad Student and had decent pickup lines. That was a very good sign._

 _"Well that's because I'm a tigress, not a kitten." She retorted._

 _"Oh I'm sure that you can be both. There is something missing from your costume though. It's lovely, but it's missing something. Here." He said as he grabbed a white rose from one of the rosebushes and placed it in her hair._

 _"Yes, that is much better. Would you like to dance?" She asked with a smile._

 _"I'd love to. Though I thought you said your feet were bothering you?" Fugaku inquired._

 _Mikoto giggled. Well he actually listened as well. That was certainly a rare thing for a Frat Boy to do on a College Campus._

 _"I think we both know that was a White Lie." She told him as she wrapped her arms around his neck._

 _"Yes, but I thought it was the gentlemanly thing to pretend otherwise." He replied._

 _Fugaku wrapped his arms around her waist and they danced the night away. At the end of the night, she got his number. Once she got back to her dorm, she saved the rose in her scrapbook and had kept it ever since._

"Maybe I'll give Sasuke a call tomorrow. After he's head a chance to sleep off what was likely one very exciting graduation party." She muses.

Yes, she'd do that. That should take her mind off things. She had made her decision years ago. Mikoto would just have to live with the consequences.

The next day, Sasuke wakes up and decides to see if Itachi wanted to go get coffee with him. He felt like he should at least try to be a normal brother. The reunion with Fugaku had gone well. It had gone well enough that for the most part, Sasuke had been able to keep his mind from wandering to inappropriate places. If he tried hard enough, maybe he could forget that night in the club with Itachi.

"Itachi, are you awake?" Sasuke asks as he knocks on the door.

The door opens a few seconds later. Yes, Itachi was definitely awake. He was awake and shirtless. The elder Uchiha was standing only in a pair of crimson red boxers.

Sasuke mentally sighs. So much for his mind not wandering to inappropriate places. He decides on a new plan. THOUGHTS about his brother were okay, but actions weren't. Yeah. That was it.

"Good morning, Sasuke. Did you need something?" Itachi asks him.

Was it Sasuke's imagination or was Itachi purring seductively at him? The young man bites lower lip at that thought. Whether it was real or imagined, that purr definitely affected him. Thank goodness for loose pants.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go get some coffee together or something. I feel like that we still have a lot of catching up to do. It has been years, after all." Sasuke says.

"I'd love to get some coffee with you. Why don't you come in and I'll throw on some clothes?" He suggests.

Sasuke nods. Honestly, he felt like he was walking into the lion's den and he was a zebra or something. He tries to advert his gaze from a half naked Itachi. This had to be some sort of test. Was Itachi just messing with him on purpose?

"I'm glad that you and father were getting along so well last night. He really has missed you dearly. I missed you as well, but the divorce was particularly hard on him." Itachi says as he pulls a shirt over his head.

Sasuke mourns the loss of his view, but he knew he couldn't show it. Itachi was his brother. He shouldn't be lusting after Itachi. God, he was sick.

"Yeah. I'm getting that impression. I always that that they both wanted the divorce. That doesn't seem to be the case though." He murmurs.

Itachi nods. There were two things that he was certain of. Fugaku Uchiha was still in love with his ex wife and he was going to find a way to get Sasuke back into his bed. That used to be a relative easy task.

When Sasuke was younger, sometimes he would have nightmares. Whenever that would happen, he would come running into Itachi's room. His baby brother would generally spend the night with him when that happened.

"It definitely isn't. I know that you don't want to betray mother's confidence, but we both do miss her." Itachi says.

"I know you do. I don't want to hurt either of you. She just doesn't want to talk. I'm sorry." Sasuke whispers.

 _Poke._ Itachi pokes Sasuke on the forehead again. The raven haired man looks up at him in shock and grumbles.

"Sasuke, none of this is your fault. You don't have anything to apologize for. Every time you do so, I will poke you. I know it annoys you. It's my hope that this gives you sufficient incentive to learn an important lesson. None of this is your fault. Mother and father are adults. They made their own decisions. Neither of us had any say in the matter." Itachi chides him gently.

"Yeah. I know. I'm still sorry that it hurts you two though." Sasuke whispers.

 _Poke._ Itachi poked him **again.** This was getting to be a habit and an annoying one. Sasuke glowers at his brother once more.

"Sasuke, I am aware that you attended one of the most prestigious schools in the country. I know that you're smart. I have absolute faith that you will be able to master this lesson quickly. None of this is your fault. You don't have to feel bad because we feel bad." Itachi tells him as he throws on some pants and his shoes.

"Yeah. I guess you're right. Let's go." Sasuke says with a smile and the two head off.

It didn't take long for them to get to a coffee shop. Sasuke notes that Itachi got a drink with a Hell of a lot of sugar and cream. He didn't think it even technically qualified as coffee really.

"That is so not coffee." Sasuke says as he orders his just straight up black.

"Well it has coffee in it. I'll admit that I prefer sweet things. I think that's why I'm so fond of you." He muses and Sasuke gulps.

If Itachi had said that ten years ago, Sasuke wouldn't have batted an eyelash. Now things were different though. He had very nearly gone for an exclusivity clause with his own brother. He really wished that Itachi would stop saying things that could be misinterpreted so easily!

"Good to know. So um what do you do at Sharingan anyway?" Sasuke asks as he sips his drink.

"Oh I dabble in a little bit of everything really. My primary job though is to crunch the numbers. I'm an economist by trade. I specialize in global economics though." He says.

"Wow. I never would have thought that someone that looks like you would be such a geek." Sasuke says and then he chokes on his coffee when he realizes what just came out of his mouth.

Itachi tries to hide his smirk as he sips his coffee. Sasuke was just adorably flustered. He supposed that he couldn't blame the other man. It wasn't every day that you accidentally made out with your long lost brother.

"That was horribly stereotypical, Sasuke. Attractive people are very much capable of being highly intelligent. Do you not put yourself in that category? Beauty and brains?" He inquires.

"Itachi, you really shouldn't flirt with me." Sasuke mutters.

"It's only an expression. You don't need to be so suspicious. You definitely take after our mother though." He muses.

"Oh. Damn. I'm sorry. I should have realized that you didn't mean it THAT way." Sasuke mutters.

On some level, Itachi did feel guilty. It was almost too easy. Mostly though, he was just eager to continue where they left off.

"It's quite alright. This is merely going to take some getting used to. I did get you something though. I've missed out on so many birthdays. I wanted to begin to make up for them." He says and hands Sasuke a book.

"You didn't have to do that, but thanks. What is it?" The younger Uchiha asks curiously.

"I remember that you said that you minored in History. So I thought perhaps you'd enjoy a book on ancient mythology." Itachi says.

Sasuke smiles. That was thoughtful of Itachi. Damn. He wished they weren't brothers. He really would have been the perfect boyfriend.

"Thanks. I'm sure that I'll love it. I'm afraid that I don't have anything to give you though." He admits.

"That's alright. Just your smile is more than enough for me. Come on. We should probably be getting back. Madara and father will be worried about us, if we aren't there when they wake." Itachi says as he leaves money on the table and heads back to the car with Sasuke.

"Yeah. Good point." Sasuke agrees.

A little later that day, Sasuke decides to indulge in some light reading before lunch. Itachii had gotten him a gift. It would be rude not to at least look at it.

"Hmm. That's weird. It had a bookmark in it." He muses and opens to that page.

That's when Sasuke started reading and his eyes widen. That couldn't be a coincidence. On that very page was a rather erotic recounting of a legend that involved two Gods. The Gods were brothers and lovers. The tale was detailed enough to make even a sailor blush.

"There's no way that is a coincidence." He mutters to himself.

Itachi was definitely trying to seduce him. His brother was trying to seduce him. This was AFTER Itachi found out the truth. There was no mistaking his intentions now.

That didn't mean that Sasuke had any idea what he was going to do about it. If only they weren't brothers, he would have been flattered and he definitely would have been interested. Unfortunately, they were brothers. It would be wrong.

"Hey, bastard! Are you there?" Sasuke hears a familiar voice say from his phone that he had left on.

Sasuke sighs and quickly picks it up. He knew who it was. It was Naruto. Damn. He had no idea how he was going to explain any of this or if he should even try to.

"Yeah. I'm here. What's up?" The raven haired man asks.

"Well I wanted to make sure that you got home alright. How did it go with your friend?" The blonde inquires.

"It's a long story, but thanks for checking up on me. Hey, maybe we could get the gang together later today and go swimming or something." Sasuke suggests.

He needed something to take his mind off of Itachi. That and he had always enjoyed swimming. He had been on the swim team in high school. He had stopped competing in college because he wanted to focus on his studies, but that didn't mean that he still didn't love to swim.

"Yeah! Sure! That sounds great! I'll see you then. I'll text you the details, once I ask the others." Naruto promises.

"Cool. See you later." Sasuke says as he hangs up and that's when he realizes he wasn't alone.

Itachi knew that he probably should give Sasuke more space, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to know how the other man had responded to his gift. Imagine his surprise, when he overheard Sasuke on the phone with someone.

"Who was that and should I be jealous?" He asks.

"That was my best friend, Naruto. You remember him? The straight guy from the club?" Sasuke asks, deliberately choosing to ignore that part.

"Ah. Yes, I do remember him and I'll take that to mean that I have no reason to be jealous. How did you like your gift?" Itachi questions him.

Sasuke blinks as he looked down at the book. He knew that Itachi wasn't just talking about the book. This was his way of asking if Sasuke was still interested in applying for THAT position.

"Well it was interesting, but I'm afraid it's just not my thing." Sasuke replies causually.

Itachi not so casually pins him to the wall. Sasuke gulps. He wasn't afraid that Itachi was actually going to try to hurt him. He was afraid that his brother was going to call him out on his lie. Sadly, that's exactly what he did.

"It's not very nice to lie, especially to your family." Itachi whispers hotly into Sasuke's ear and the younger Uchiha felt himself shiver.

He wasn't entirely certain if it was from fear or desire. Sasuke decides it was probably both. Desire because Itachi was the most gorgeous man that he had ever seen in his life and fear that he might act on his attraction towards the other man again.

He felt himself at a loss for what to say. Apparently, he didn't have to say anything. That's when Itachi kissed him and Sasuke's mind went wonderfully numb as he soon melted into the other man's kiss.


	4. Chapter 4

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** Sasuke gets mildly vicious in this chapter because Itachi refuses to give up that easily. I have also decided to throw a curveball with who will be the "villain" in this story.

Chapter 4

Itachi's kiss was pure seduction. Sasuke had been kissed before, but never like this. No one had ever made love to him with their mouth like this before the other Uchiha who was currently kissing him.

The older Uchiha smirks into the kiss. He could feel that Sasuke was melting into him. The other man protested too much. Their attraction to one another was far too strong to ignore. It didn't matter that they shared the same parents. The feeling of Sasuke's lips against his was too good to resist.

"Still not your thing, brother?" Itachi asks slyly as he pushes Sasuke onto the bed and quickly straddles him.

One second, Sasuke had been lost in the wonderfully wicked sensation of Itachi's touch. It hadn't lasted long though. Itachi just had to call him THAT. It was as though the other Uchiha had just thrown ice water onto his rapidly growing arousal.

"Itachi, stop it. We're brothers and this is wrong. We hadn't seen each other in years. It was understandable for us not to recognize each other. We couldn't have possibly known that we were family, but now we do." Sasuke says as he looks up at Itachi.

Itachi sighs. He had figured that Sasuke was going to be stubborn. His younger brother had suffered from a normal upbringing. Society had come up with all sorts of rules about what was right and what were wrong. Most of them were utterly arbitrary and Itachi didn't bother with them for that reason. Sasuke apparently didn't share this worldview, at least not yet.

"You're right. We didn't know. For me, it doesn't change anything. When you were a small boy, you used to come running into my bed. You would seek me out for comfort and companionship. I see no reason why that has to change merely because you got older. If anything, I suppose it is the natural progression of our relationship. We were always closer than most brothers." He reasons.

Sasuke blinks. Itachi wasn't phased by them being related in the slightest. Apparently, it didn't bother him at all.

"That was different. This isn't about me getting scared by a bad storm or wanting comfort after a nightmare. This is wrong. This isn't normal. You know that. I know that you know that. Besides, how do you think father would feel? How do you think that he would feel, if he had heard you say all that?" Sasuke demands.

"Foolish little brother. That has always been your greatest weakness. You care too much what people think about you. It's sweet that you want everyone to be happy and to like you, but you're twenty-three now. You should know, that you can't please everyone." Itachi says as he caresses his cheek.

The raven haired college grad just gapes at his older brother. This was a little different than wanting to please everyone. Sasuke thought that the bare minimum of maintaining a happy family meant not sleeping with his brother. He didn't think that was trying too hard to please everyone. That was just an unwritten rule to having a normal family, really.

"I know that I can't please everyone and I don't care what everyone thinks about me. This is different though. You're my brother. Do you have any idea how much this would hurt father and mother, if they found out about us." He whispers.

"I'm quite certain that mother would be horrified. Father will likely be stunned. He feels terribly guilty about everything though. I think that he'd be willing to overlook it. He hasn't seen you in so long, Sasuke. I think that he's willing to be rather flexible in what sort of behavior he'll tolerate from you. He loves you. I love you. It's just that he loves you in a different way than I do." Itachi counters.

Sasuke blinks. Itachi was claiming that he was IN love with him. That was different than what brothers usually meant when they said that they loved each other. This was quickly getting out of hand.

"Itachi, you don't love me. You're confusing familial love with romantic love. Yes, it was great. I had fun at the club and you're an amazing kisser, but you know that you don't actually love me. That's ridiculous." Sasuke tells him.

"It must be exhausting carrying all those chains." Itachi replies cryptically.

He really wished that his foolish little brother would just accept the reality of the situation. They belonged together and happened to share the same last name. That shouldn't prevent them from being together.

Of course, Sasuke was still shackled by the rules that society had drilled into his head since he was a small child. Most people never really broke free of those chains. Sasuke would though. Itachi would help him.

"What chains are you talking about? You aren't making any sense." Sasuke mutters.

"The ones that society has shackled you with. Unless you believe in reincarnation, you only get one life. You should do what makes you happy." Itachi reasons.

"Itachi, that's all well and good when it's something like choosing a career, but this is different!" Sasuke protests.

"How is it different? Other than mother and father, tell me who we would really be harming." Itachi orders him.

Sasuke bites his lower lip. Well they wouldn't actually be hurting anyone, if you didn't count their parents. He somehow doubted that Madara would be phased by it and he had never met Izuna. It wasn't like either of them already had a boyfriend or that they had to worry about having children with birth defects, but still.

"Mother and father are enough. They've both suffered so much already. Do you really want to cause them more pain?" Sasuke snaps at him.

"I don't want to hurt them. I love them both. I still love mother. I know why she did what she did. I won't lie though. It did hurt that she disowned me. I would never intentionally hurt them though, but I don't think that we should deny ourselves what we want to make them happy." He states simply.

Sasuke sighs. He shoves Itachi off of him. It was becoming obvious that the polite approach wasn't going to work. If he really wanted to have a normal relationship with his brother, he was going to have to play rougher.

"Your sense of right and wrong is fascinating. I'm sure that any psychologist would have a field day with you, but I'm not like you Itachi. I don't mind these "chains." They evolved for a reason." Sasuke informs him.

"We can discuss this more later. It appears that you have a phone call." Itachi muses.

That's when Sasuke realized that his phone was ringing. Sighing, he picks it up. He blinks when he realizes who it was.

"Sasuke, are you there?" Mikoto asks into the phone.

"Yeah. I'm here. Sorry, I just have some company over. How are you?" Sasuke asks.

This couldn't be more awkward. His brother was listening to his phone conversation with his mother. His brother who had just been making out with AGAIN. There was something seriously wrong with both of them, Sasuke idly muses.

"I'm well. I just wanted to see how your graduation party went. Did you have fun? Please tell me that you didn't drink and drive. That is very dangerous." Mikoto says.

"It was definitely a night to remember. No, I didn't drink and drive. I know that's dangerous. Mom, I'm really not a little kid anymore. I do have some common sense. I know better than to drive drunk." The raven haired man tells her.

"Good. I know that I shouldn't fuss, but you'll always be my baby." She tells him with a smile.

Mikoto already felt a bit better. She knew that Sasuke was probably slightly exasperated with her being a mother hen, but she couldn't help it. She did worry about him.

On some level, she knew it was partially because she had lost Itachi. As far as she was concerned, her oldest son was dead. She would always love him, but there was no going back once you were a Dragon. It was just easier for her to cope that way. So she spoiled her youngest son.

"I know. I love you too, mom. We still on for your birthday party at Mangekyo?" Sasuke asks.

Mangekyo was one of the fanciest restaurants in the city. Mikoto was going to a few days off work and fly out to see him for her birthday. She was probably already on the flight now, actually.

"Yes, I wouldn't miss it for the world." Mikoto replies.

"Great. When is your plane supposed to arrive?" The youngest Uchiha asks her.

"Around eight. Which probably means I won't get here till nine or ten. You know how these things go." The dark beauty informs him with a slight giggle.

Sasuke nods. Yeah. Air travel could be such a pain in the ass these days. Security was a nightmare to put it mildly.

"Great. I'll be there to pick you up. I gotta go now. I'm gonna go swimming with some of my friends. I love you. Bye, mom." Sasuke says.

"I love you too, sweetie. I'll see you soon." Mikoto says as she hangs up.

Itachi sighs. That was the first time that he had heard his mother's voice in ten years. It was easy to ignore the pain of abandonment, when the woman wasn't around. He couldn't deny that hearing her voice had made it more real in a way that it hadn't been before.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken that call in front of you." Sasuke whispers.

"It's fine, Sasuke. She's a part of your life and I wouldn't deny you that." Itachi says as he walks over to him and caresses his cheek.

Sasuke tries to back away, but Itachi wasn't having it. He would let him go, just not yet. There was something that he needed to say.

"Itachi." The younger man growls warningly at him.

"I would never deny you ANYTHING. While you are with your friends, I want you to think about us. Who is possibly going to love you more than your own brother? Do you really think that some stranger that you pick up at a nightclub or in a bar, will ever know you the way that I do?" He whispers into his ear.

SMACK! Sasuke had had it. He couldn't trust himself around Itachi. He needed to make the other man understand that it wasn't going to happen. If that meant getting a little physical, so be it.

Itachi just gapes at Sasuke as he nurses his now badly bruised cheek. He hadn't expected his baby brother to actually hit him. It was painful, but obviously it was intended more to shock him than anything else.

"Itachi, I love you. I just can't love you that way. Just let it go. I want to have a relationship with you. I want to have a NORMAL, HEALTHY relationship with you. Alright?" He asks.

Sasuke hated how his voice came out almost like he was pleading with Itachi to see reason. Sadly, some part of him knew that was exactly what he was doing. As much as he might try to resist Itachi, his body apparently was going to respond. That was why it was impetrative that he made Itachi understand why this was never going to work.

"Sasuke, being normal is vastly overrated, but I do apologize for upsetting you." Itachi mutters.

"It's alright. I'm sorry that I can't give you what you want. If we weren't brothers, maybe. We are though. It's wrong. I'm sure that you'll get that through your head, eventually. I gotta go. Naruto and the others are probably waiting for me." Sasuke says awkwardly.

"Of course. Please don't keep them waiting on my account. It would be poor form to show up late." The elder Uchiha states and Sasuke nods, before darting off.

Meanwhile Fugaku, Izuna, and Madara were having a meeting. It was an important one. While Madara was the CEO and Fugaku was the CFO, Izuna was in charge of public relations. The were the three most influential men in the Sharingan Dragons.

Itachi was being groomed to succeed them one day, along with a couple other promising young Dragons. For now though, the veterans ruled the roost. At the moment, they were each rather perplexed with what to do with Sasuke.

"I don't think that it's a good idea to tell him the true nature of Sharingan this early. He needs time to get to know us. He needs time to understand how things work around here. Right now, it would be like throwing a baby into the deep end of a swimming pool." Fugaku says.

Izuna sighs and nods. Out of the three of them, he was the only one that hadn't met Sasuke. He found that a bit odd. Supposedly, his great nephew resembled him a great deal.

Naturally, that fact had aroused his curiosity. He was looking forward to meeting the young man. Unfortunately, Fugaku was likely correct in his assessment. It was highly unlikely that Sasuke was ready to become a Dragon. These sorts of things took time.

"I'm inclined to agree. It is difficult to assess anyone when it comes to an issue as important as this, when you've never met them. From what I gather though, he has had a traditional upbringing. I have a hard time believing that someone with his background would have an easy time accepting our organization at first." He replies.

"You're right. We should ease him into this. Fortunately, we at least know his academic background. I think that it would be best to place him as Izuna's assistant. He majored in Business and Political Science. Public relations can overlap with Political Science and it certainly does with business. That and Izuna does have the best people skills amongst the three of us." He reasons.

Fugaku reluctantly had to agree. There was also the fact that Sasuke's specialization hadn't been primarily in economics. He wasn't like Itachi and Fugaku in that way. He would probably be bored to tears working under a CFO and Madara would probably traumatize him. So in a way, it had to be Izuna by default.

"It's a good idea. Izuna is also a neutral party. It might be awkward if he worked for me and we all know what Madara is like. I don't want my son to run away from us screaming." Fugaku notes with a chuckle.

Madara rolls his eyes good-naturedly. Alright. He would be the first to admit that his training methods could be a little intense, but he would have gone easy on the boy. Sasuke was his great nephew, after all.

"Your faith in me is heartwarming. Truly." He mutters and the other two men just laugh.

At that same time, Sasuke had just arrived at the local swimming pool. He smiles when he sees his friends. Thank God. He was about to do something normal.

He couldn't help but feel a little surreal as he made his way over to them. He had just found his long lost brother, father, and a great uncle. Apparently, all of them were filthy rich. And then there was that whole thing about his brother trying to seduce him. Yeah. It all felt a little surreal now that he was outside Amatersau.

"Hey, bastard! Glad you could make it." Naruto says with a grin as he heads over to Sasuke.

"Yeah. Me too. So want me to kick your ass on the diving board?" Sasuke asks.

"Pft. Please. You are delusional. There's no way you could ever kick my ass at anything, especially not at diving." Naruto says as they head towards the boards.

Sasuke smirks. They both knew that was a lie. Naruto was very athletic, but he was definitely not graceful. Still he had to give him props for trying.

"I think that we'll have to have a neutral party judge the dives. Hey, Choji! You wanna be the judge?" Sasuke asks.

"Sure. I don't mind." Choji says as he nibbles on a few more of his chips.

Soon enough, Naruto had managed a very basic cannonball and Sasuke did several flips in his dives. There was something very liberating about flying through the air and then ending up in the water.

"Sorry, Naruto. I have to give this one to Sasuke." Choji says.

"It's fine. I let the bastard win. Believe it!" The blonde says as he strikes a dramatic pose to illustrate his point.

"How generous of you." Sasuke replies as he rolls his eyes in amusement.

It didn't take long for the party to kick into full swing. Eventually, Sasuke finds himself sitting at one of the picnic tables with Naruto as he sips his smoothie.

"So what happened with you and the hottie? I mean you two seemed to be hitting it off and then you said you were bailing cause you found a long lost friend?" Naruto asks.

Sasuke bites his lower lip. He had never kept any secrets from Naruto before, but just didn't know if it was a good idea to tell the blonde the truth. Maybe he should omit a couple of the more taboo details?

"I didn't want to say anything to you because you were sucking face with that coed, but I found Itachi." He whispers.

"YOU FOUND ITACHI?!" The blonde yells in shock and Sasuke twitches.

Naruto was an amazing friend. He just wasn't a very subtle person. He had a tendency to get very loud when he was excited. That tendency could become annoying, especially in situations like this.

"Naruto, not so fucking loud." The raven haired man scolds his best friend and Naruto at least had the decency to look sheepish.

"Sorry. I just mean that's amazing. You found him? What's it been? Like ten years?" The blue eyed grad inquires.

Sasuke sighs and nods. It had been ten years. That was why he hadn't recognized Itachi. If he had recognized the other man on sight, none of this would have happened.

"Yeah. It's been about ten years. That's why I split so suddenly. I had to catch up with him. Anyway, he took me back to his place. I saw my father and met one of my great uncles." Sasuke whispers.

He didn't know why he was whispering. Nothing he had said at this point would have been considered too scandalous. Still he felt like it was important to keep this part of his life private. He didn't want to share it with "outsiders."

Outsiders in this case meant people who weren't in his family. Naruto was an exception because he was Naruto. The blonde would never betray his confidence. Sasuke knew that much for sure.

"Well yeah. I completely understand. How'd that go?" Naruto asks excitedly.

"Better than I could have expected. Apparently, the reason he never got in touch with me is because of my mother. He tried, but you know my mom." Sasuke says with a sigh.

"Yeah. Mikoto is wicked smart. The C.I.A. has nothing on that woman. I remember when we were kids, we couldn't even get away with stealing cookies from the cookie jar. It's like she has eyes in the back of her head or something." Naruto says with a laugh and Sasuke nods in agreement.

"Yeah. She is. I think that they all really do want to reconnect." Sasuke continues.

Itachi just REALLY wanted to connect. He wanted to connect in ways that were completely inappropriate. Sasuke bites his lower lip at the thought.

"That's great! I'm really happy for you, bastard. So are you going to tell your mom about all of this?" Naruto asks.

Sasuke pauses. He didn't know really. Sasuke had never really kept important secrets from his mother. When he was a child, he might have hidden little things from her like that one time he broke her favorite vase accidentally while horsing around with Naruto. This was different though. This was important.

"I don't know. She spent ten years trying to make sure that I was never able to speak with them again. I know that she wouldn't be happy, if she found out that I was talking to them. At the same time though, I'm an adult. It should be up to me, if I want to have a relationship with them." Sasuke mutters.

Naruto nods in sympathy. Man, this had to be a tough one. He didn't know what he would have done, if their positions were reversed.

"Yeah. You're twenty-fucking-three years old. If you want to get to know your dad, your brother, and your uncle that should be up to you. Mikoto's a nice lady. I'm sure that she had her reasons, but you're an adult now. It's not like she can stop you." The blue eyed graduate says.

"You're right. It's my life, not hers. Still I feel guilty. I don't feel right keeping a big secret like this from her. She's my mother and I love her. She deserves to know the truth, but I know that the truth will hurt her. What should I do?" Sasuke asks.

Naruto takes another lick of his ice cream, as he ponders his answer. He really didn't know what to tell Sasuke. Damn. This whole situation was a complete mess.

"Well for right now, I'd probably just keep it to yourself. She's flying in tonight. If she finds out, Mikoto is probably going to cause a huge scene." The blonde warns him.

"Oh yeah. She'd probably march right into Amatersau and start tearing into Uncle Madara, father, and Itachi good." He says with a laugh.

The other man blinks and just gaps at Sasuke. Amatersau? Madara? No way. Sasuke had to be messing with him or something.

"Madara as in the CEO of Sharingan Corp?" The ice cream lover demands.

"Yeah. Apparently, they own Sharingan Corp. Itachi is going to see about getting me a job there." Sasuke replies.

"Whoa. That's big time. That's one of the biggest companies in the world. Damn. You're lucky!" His friend exclaims.

Sasuke nods. Yeah. It had stunned him at first, but it was easy to forget that part when Itachi Uchiha was trying to seduce you. Actually, it was easy to forget pretty much everything when Itachi was trying to seduce you.

"I know. Well I should probably get going. Mom's plane is supposed to land pretty soon. I'll see you later." Sasuke says as he heads off to go pick up his mother.

About twenty minute later, Sasuke arrives at the airport. It took another hour for Mikoto's plane to finally land. When it does, she walks out and smiles when she sees Sasuke. Immediately, the dark beauty races over to him and embraces her youngest son.

"It's so good to see you." She says, beaming.

"It's good to see you too. Did you wanna stay at my place or at a hotel. Right now, Naruto and I are kinda slumming it at a cheap apartment. That's until we can find better jobs. Though I think I'll find something soon." Sasuke says.

"I'm sure you will, sweetheart. Hmm. Well as much I love you, I think it might be better for me to stay at a hotel. I've heard so many horror stories about bachelor pads." She tells him.

Sasuke shakes his head in amusement. That was his mother for you. She was always kind, even in her insults.

"Mother, no one has used that term in like forever." Sasuke informs her.

"Oh. What do they call them now?" Mikoto asks in confusion.

"We just call them our homes, apartments, or whatever. Anyway, let's get you to a hotel room. I'm sure that you must be exhausted from jet lag." Sasuke says with a smile as he leads Mikoto to his car.

"I am a little tired. That's true. I'm not nearly as much of a frequent flier, as I used be." She admits.

"Don't worry. We'll find you some place nice to stay." Her son assures her as they drive off.

What they didn't know is that they were being watched by Tobirama. The old man blinks at what he saw. Mikoto Uchiha and apparently her youngest son. He had been aware that Fugaku had married the woman and had two boys by her, but the two had divorced years ago.

"Well I think I'll follow them and see what they are up to." He muses.

Despite the fact that he was now in his sixties, he was the Chief of Police. Tobirama wasn't nearly as idealistic as his brother. He knew that the Sharingan Dragons were still operating. It was just that they were really good at covering their tracks. One day, he was going to catch himself a dragon. Perhaps today would be the day that he finally did so.


	5. Chapter 5

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews. Please feel free to weigh in on whether you want Sasuke to become a Dragon in the end or if you would prefer for the paternal side of the Uchiha Family Tree to become law-abiding citizens. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 5

"Thanks for the ride, sweetheart. I'll see you tomorrow. Right now, I just want to get some sleep. Jet lag can be exhausting." Mikoto says and Sasuke nods in agreement.

"Alright. I'll give you a call in the morning. Night, mother." Sasuke says as he kisses her cheek and walks off.

Tobirama watches and waits. So far, the two of them hadn't done anything suspicious. He knew the truth though. The Uchihas were really the founders of the Sharingan Dragons. He just had to prove it somehow.

SMACK. Suddenly, the white haired cop finds himself shoved against the wall by a very irritated looking Mikoto Uchiha. Honestly, did he really think that she was so oblivious to her surroundings, that she couldn't tell when someone was following her?

"You know, just because you are a police officer doesn't give you the right to stalk people." She says.

"Miss, please let me go. I have no idea what you are talking about. If you don't get off of me, I'm going to be forced to report this as assault." He says, feigning innocence.

Mikoto rolls her eyes and gets off of him. They both knew that wouldn't actually work. Who was going to believe a middle aged woman had assaulted the Chief of Police and the Chief had lost the fight?

"I think that you are bluffing. Do you really want to be known as the man who couldn't handle a former housewife "assaulting" you? I imagine that your fellow officers would find a great deal of amusement in that report." She tells him with a smirk.

"And here I thought you were the innocent one." Tobirama muses wryly.

"That depends how you define innocent. If by innocent you mean I'm the type of woman who isn't going to notice when a man is lurking around her room and has a gun, then I'm not. Don't make me file a restraining order. Your obsession with Fugaku has nothing to do with me. I haven't spoken to the man since our custody battle. Not that that is any of your concern." She snaps at him.

Tobirama had been shocked when he realized that the Uchiha couple was getting a divorce. From all public appearances, it had appeared to be a rather model marriage. The chief had a suspicion that he knew why they had divorced.

Mikoto had found out about the Sharingan Dragons and fled. It was the only logical explanation. She was a smart woman. The mother of two probably knew that "snitching" would cost her and her son their lives. So he could understand why she wasn't particularly thrilled to see him.

"I'm aware that you haven't spoken to him in ten years. Believe me, I watch that man like a hawk." He says.

"I believe that's called stalking. Perhaps he should get a restraining order. Tobirama, I suggest you let whatever issues you have with my ex husband go. You'll be much happier that way." She informs him.

As far as he could tell, Mikoto was a good woman. She seemed to be a perfectly law-abiding citizen. He had kept close tabs on her for years and she had never done anything suspicious. So Tobirama didn't think that she was threatening him. She was likely giving him a subtle warning.

"You mean that I'll be much happier and live much longer that way." He states bluntly.

"You may interpret what I said in whatever manner you see fit. That is what you are going to do anyway. What you do not have the right to do is lurk outside my hotel room. Must I call security? Unless you are actually going to arrest me for a crime, you have no reason to stand outside my doorway." Mikoto says.

"I can see why he would be attracted to you. You are a surprisingly vicious little thing when you want to be." He muses.

That's when Mikoto gets out her phone and starts hitting numbers on it. Tobirama took that as his cue to leave. He really didn't want to explain to hotel security what he was doing lurking outside of some woman's room.

Unfortunately, Mikoto had the upper hand in this situation. She hadn't committed any crimes that he was aware of and he didn't have anything that he could legitimately accuse her of. She had won that round.

"Idiot. He actually thought I was calling security." She mutters as she heads into her room and locks the door behind her.

Mikoto knew that she could leave the hotel room. She could find another place to stay at, but that would just make the man even more suspicious. No. She would simply have to wait it out. She was leaving in a few days anyway.

Meanwhile Sasuke heads back to Amatersau. He couldn't believe that this was his life now. He felt like he was living a double life.

"This is getting out of hand. Maybe I should tell her." He whispers to himself as he drives back towards the grand estate that Madara owns.

The one that he shared with his mother and the one that he shared with the rest of his family. Sasuke was beginning to feel like to completely different people and he wasn't sure how to feel about that. The young Uchiha had never kept secrets from his mother before, but now he was. He felt guilty about that.

That wasn't all though. Before his graduation party, he certainly never would have dreamed that he would have some sort of twisted attraction to his brother. What on Earth was wrong with him?

"Hello, there. I don't believe that we have been formerly introduced. I am Izuna Uchiha, your other Great Uncle." He hears a man say, after getting out of his car.

"Oh. Hi. Glad that I bumped into you actually. I still don't have my prints in the system. So I kinda need someone to get me in. Nice to meet you. I'm Sasuke, but you already knew that." He says awkwardly and Izuna just smiles as he places his thumb on the scanner.

It was the most bizarre sensation. In a way, Izuna felt almost like he had stepped through some sort of time machine. Madara had not been kidding when he said that Sasuke took after him. The resemblance was uncanny.

"Yes, I did. I can't tell you how glad I am to finally meet you. Madara, Fugaku, and Itachi have spoken about you at great length. I believe that there is much for us to discuss. Both on a personal and professional level. Would you care to join me for a drink?" He asks.

"Um sure. Yeah. That sounds good." Sasuke says.

There was a certain physical resemblance between Madara and Izuna. They weren't identical twins, but they looked enough alike that you could easily guess that they were brothers. That was where the similarities ended though.

Sasuke couldn't believe they were actually related. Madara was so wild and intense. It was like he truly belonged to a different era. Izuna was seemed so refined and cultured in comparison. For some reason, he got the impression that they had a Good Cop, Bad Cop Routine going.

"Wonderful. What's your beverage of choice?" He asks as he leads Sasuke to the Dining Room.

"Champagne, if I'm lucky. Vodka or rum, if I'm not." Sasuke tells him.

"Ah yes. I imagine that cost is generally an issue for most recent college graduates. Champagne can be a bit on the pricey side. You don't need to worry about that anymore." He says as he reaches into what Sasuke assumed was a Liquor Cabinet.

The younger Uchiha raises an eyebrow at that declaration. Itachi had said that they might get him a job at Sharingan Corp, but not what kind. Izuna was implying a fairly lucrative one.

"You know that I have zero experience, right? Well other than a couple internships, anyway." Sauske mutters as Izuna pours them each a glass of champagne.

"I'm aware of that. Well I wasn't aware of the internships. That's something at least. That doesn't bother any of us. Everyone has to start somewhere." Izuna says with a shrug.

"I guess so. You aren't going to do something crazy though, are you?" The college grad asks.

Izuna chuckles. Well Sasuke was certainly modest for an Uchiha. Idly, the Dragon muses that he must have inherited that from Mikoto. He certainly hadn't gotten it from Fugaku.

"That depends on what you define as something crazy." He replies slyly.

"You aren't giving me the Keys to the Kingdom, right?" Sasuke clarifies.

"I'm not going to put you in charge of Sharingan Corp, if that's what you are asking. Well at least not for a few years, in any case. The three of us have discussed the matter and believe that it would be best to place you under my mentorship for now. You would be my assistant, if you find the offer agreeable." Izuna informs him.

Izuna wanted him to be his assistant? Sasuke wasn't sure exactly what his other Great Uncle did, but he knew that it was likely important. The type of suit he was wearing, didn't come cheap.

"I suppose that depends what I would be assisting you with." Sasuke retorts.

"Clever boy. Never agree to something, until you have a chance to read the fine print. That's why I took the liberty of drawing up your contract. Put simply, I'm in charge of Public Relations for Sharingan Corp. That means it's my job to make certain that our company's public image is a positive one." The elder Uchiha elaborates as he hands Sasuke the contract.

Sasuke blinks. Izuna had already drawn up a contract? When the Hell did he have time to do that?

"You work fast." His great nephew says in shock.

"I know that it appears that way. That's the standard contract that I give to anyone who is applying to be my assistant that I am seriously considering. I believe in laying all my cards out on the table." The Dragon explains.

"Good to know. Do you mind, if I take some time to look this over?" The raven haired man inquires.

Izuna shakes his head. He would be disappointed if Sasuke was stupid enough to agree, without reading the contract. He may act like Mikoto, but there was some Fugaku in him. At least the young man knew enough to look before he leaped.

"Not at all. Take all the time that you need. So tell me about yourself. I don't mean just academically and professionally. I would like to get to know my other Great Nephew. Sadly, that is something that has been denied to me for many years." Izuna says.

The two spend the next three hours in conversation. It was a relief really, for Sasuke to have a normal conversation with one of his long lost relatives. Madara was intense and Sasuke felt guilty around Fugaku because he couldn't tell him more about Mikoto. Finally, there was Itachi. Enough said. Izuna appeared to be the most normal one out of the group, who didn't have any baggage.

The next morning, Izuna was speaking with Madara, Itachi, and Fugaku about Sasuke. Sasuke had left to go pick up a few things since it was becoming rapidly apparent that he was going to be spending the night a lot. That gave them the perfect opportunity to go over their plans.

"I spoke with Sasuke and gave him the contract. He's going to look it over. Somehow, I doubt he's going to turn down a 100k salary right out of college though." Izuna says with a sly smile.

"Izuna, I believe that you are the most evil out of all of us. That's like dangling a steak in front of a starving dog." Madara observes with a chuckle.

"I have to concur with Madara." Fugaku notes with amusement and Itachi just laughs.

The P.R. Specialist just shakes his head. That was all very well and good, but they still had two big problems to solve. How were they going to convince Sasuke to become a Dragon and what were they going to do about Mikoto?

"He's a bright boy. I think he has a lot of potential, but he seems rather straight-laced. I believe it will be difficult to introduce him to the Dragons. Assuming that we are successful, there is still the matter of Mikoto. Sasuke seems close to her. I doubt that he is going to keep all of this a secret from her in the long-term." He points out.

Fugaku winces at the mention of his ex wife's name. Izuna was correct. Sasuke did appear loyal to his mother and likely for good reason. She had always doted on their sons before the divorce. He doubted that had changed afterwards.

"Mikoto has kept quiet about the Sharingan Dragons for a decade. She's not going to alert the authorities." Fugaku says.

Madara sighs. His heart did ache for Fugaku. He certainly knew what it was like to be a victim of tragic love story. Unfortunately, he couldn't afford to coddle him.

"I will grant the woman that much, but we have already taken one son from her. If she feels that we are stealing Sasuke from her, she will likely react poorly. It is only natural, of course." The wild haired man states.

"What are you suggesting?" Fugaku asks suspiciously.

"Nothing for the moment. We'll simply have to monitor her closely. If absolutely necessary, we'll have Itachi talk with her. I think that his appearance would suitably shock her enough, that she wouldn't slam the door in his face. Well at least not right away." Izuna replies.

Itachi blinks. He wasn't so certain of that. Then again, Sasuke hadn't recognized him. Maybe Mikoto wouldn't either. There was a small chance that such a plan could work.

"We'll just file that as a card only to be played in emergencies." He says.

"Of course." Izuna, Madara, and Fugaku agree.

"It really is a pity that she couldn't accept our way of life. I always did like her." Madara offers to Fugaku.

Fugaku nods and sighs. He knew what his uncle was attempting to do. He was trying to offer some sort of comfort. It wouldn't work, but he appreciated the effort anyway.

"Well then it's settled. We shall ease him into it and only involve Mikoto, as a last resort. I'm going to wait for Sasuke to return and then will attempt some brotherly bonding." Itachi says as he walks off to do that.

A few moments later, Sasuke arrives back at Amatersau with a suitcase filled with clothes and a few other necessities. He blinks when he sees Itachi was waiting for him and bites his lower lip.

On some level, he knew that he was being ridiculous. He doubted that even Itachi was reckless enough to try something with all those cameras rolling. Well that was what Sasuke was hoping for anyway.

"Itachi." He greets him.

"Brother. It's good to see you. How about you put your stuff in your room and then I can show you to our Training Room." Itachi says with a smile.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Training Room? What the Hell was his half insane brother talking about now?

"Yes, I'll put my stuff away. What's the Training Room though?" The raven haired Uchiha replies suspiciously.

"It's our Martial Arts Studio. Are you very familiar with such things? You certainly do look as though you must spend at least some time at the gym. One doesn't get that physique by laying on the couch playing video games all day." He muses.

"I'm a Black Belt in Karate." Sasuke answers him.

"Ah good. That means that you might be able to get one or two hits in. That will make things much more interesting. That is of course, assuming that you are up to the challenge." Itachi taunts him.

Sasuke blinks. Itachi was actually sounding like a mostly normal brother. This was progress. After hesitating for a few seconds, he decides just to go with it.

If Itachi was going to act normal, he wasn't going to slap his hand away. Maybe the other man had just needed a bit of time for the message to sink in. They were brothers. They were never going to be lovers, but they could love each other like normal brothers did.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are a cocky son of a bitch?" Sasuke demands.

"I have been called cocky before, yes. Though I really don't feel that is any way to speak about our mother." Itachi retorts.

Sasuke rubs the back of his head sheepishly. He had certainly walked right into that one. Damn it. He really needed to come up with a list of comebacks and practice them. Otherwise, Itachi was always going to one up him, it seemed.

"Touché. Anyway, let's go put my stuff away and then I'll kick your ass. God knows, that you need a good ass kicking." Sasuke says smugly.

"That's the spirit." Itachi says with a smile as he places his hand on the scanner and the two of them head inside.

Sasuke walks inside and heads to his room. He quickly tosses his suitcase onto his bed and follows Itachi to the Training Room. It didn't take long to find it. When they head inside, Sasuke blinks. It was like every Martial Artist's dream.

"I take it that most of the family shares our fondness for the sport?" He asks.

"You could say that. Come on, little brother. I'll be nice. You can take the first shot. Well I suppose that I should say, you can take the second shot. You did slap me earlier." He notes with more than a trace of amusement.

"You deserved that slap and you know it, but you'll regret that gesture. I'm going to knock you on your ass." Sasuke says as he charges at his brother.

Itachi smirks. His younger brother was certainly fast. He remembered Sasuke being particularly gifted at Tag when they were children, but not this fleet of foot.

"You're fast. That's always an asset, but it can also be a liability. When you get up to that speed, it's hard to stop." Itachi says as he grabs Sasuke's hand and flings his brother over his shoulder.

"UMPF!" Sasuke cries out in surprise and Itachi quickly pins him.

"What was that about kicking my ass? You may no longer be little, but you are still adorably foolish." Itachi whispers into his ear.

Sasuke felt himself shiver. He should not bee shivering around his brother. He knew that Itachi wouldn't actually hurt him and he wasn't afraid. It didn't matter that Itachi had him pinned, Sasuke wasn't scared of physical harm.

He could take a hit. What he couldn't take was another kiss. Sasuke wasn't sure if he would be able to shove him off this time.

"You got lucky." He grumbles.

"And your sulking has never ceased to be equally endearing. Come. I want to see how hard you can punch." Itachi says as he gets up and offers Sasuke his hand.

Sasuke takes it and allows his brother to lead him to the punching bags. It was then that the elder Uchiha explained that the bags had some sort of device on them. The device told you how hard you hit.

"Your strength level is divided into ranks. The lowest is student. It's about what you'd expect from a child. After that you have Genin, Chunin, Jonin, Anbu, and Kage." He explains.

"Have you tried it?" Sasuke asks.

"Of course, I have. Before you ask, I'm at Kage strength." He informs him.

Sasuke mutters something about show offs and tells Itachi to get out of the way. The youngest Uchiha may have warned him about potentially getting a black eye, if he didn't move his ass. That's when Sasuke takes a swing at the bag with all his might.

"Impressive. ANBU level without any of our training. You weren't kidding when you said that you had a black belt. 15% of people can hit Anbu level. You should feel proud." Itachi says.

"What?! There's no way that I'm lower than you. Let me try again!" Sasuke exclaims.

"You may try as many times as you like." Itachi tells him.

Sasuke takes another swing. Damn it. ANBU. He wasn't going to be deterred that easily though. He takes third swing and then snarls when he still gets ANBU. This continues for awhile until he goes down to Jonin.

"That one was because you have exhausted yourself. Sasuke, as I said you should be very proud of your abilities. It's rare to see someone hit ANBU and even rarer to see them do it, without any proper training." Itachi says as he wraps his arms around Sasuke and rests his head on top of his brothers.

"Fine. I guess I really am ANBU level, but that doesn't mean that I can't beat you in a fight. Brute strength isn't the only thing that determines the victor in a battle." He grumbles.

"Oh, I'm well aware of that. Don't worry. I imagine with a little training, we will get you up to Kage level in no time. Just relax and don't fret on it. You need not worry about anything, while I'm here." He assures him.

Sasuke sighs. That should have seemed relatively innocent, but it wasn't coming from Itachi's lips. Damn those lips of his.

"I can take care of myself. I don't need you to chase away the monsters under my bed anymore." He says.

"I know that you can handle yourself. There is always room for improvement though. That and I'm your big brother. Humor me. It's my job to defend you." He murmurs.

"Alright. Maybe, I'll humor you a little bit." Sasuke whispers.

Unbeknownst to either of them, they had an audience. Izuna was watching them train together. He smiles wistfully.

Once upon a time, that had been him with the man he loved. In fact, he was the one who came up with the tracker. The tracker that had the punching ranks. It was thanks to him that the Sharingan Dragons had Kages.

"It seems like history is repeating itself." He whispers as he watches them.

He saw it in the way they looked at each other. It was in the way they moved. The way that they seemed utterly entranced by one another. It was exactly the same way, that he had once looked at his former lover.

"Forbidden love tastes the sweetest and brings the most tears at the end." He murmurs.

He sighs and turns around. Izuna wasn't going to tell on them. Right now, he didn't have any actual evidence and he wasn't that cruel. Just because he didn't get his happy ending, didn't mean that he was going to deny them theirs.

"Sasuke, did you hear something?" Itachi asks suddenly.

"I didn't hear anything." Sasuke replies in confusion.

Itachi shakes his head and decides that he must have been imagining things. Sasuke would have heard it as well, if someone was really there. Besides, they were inside Amatersau. No one could touch them here.

No one was stupid enough to enter a Dragon's Lair. Well no one was stupid enough to a Dragon's Lair, besides another Dragon. They were perfectly safe here.

"You're right. I must have imagined it. Don't worry. You'll be up to Kage level in no time at all." He assures him.

"I'm not worried. Don't get cocky. You have a SLIGHT edge in physical strength, but that can be overcome easily." Sasuke says smugly.

"I have missed you, my foolish little brother. Your eternal optimism is so sweet, even if it is a little misguided. The chances of you surpassing me are equal to the chances of Madara cutting his hair." Itachi tells him as he pokes his brother's forehead.

Sasuke grumbles. He didn't know Madara that well but he was pretty sure that the other man would never cut his hair. Itachi really could be such an arrogant person sometimes!

"Owe! You always do that!" Sasuke sulks as he rubs his forehead.

"Simply adorable." Itachi muses with a smirk, much to Sasuke's chagrin.

The raven haired man sighs. He had no idea what he had just gotten himself into. Somehow he had found his long lost great uncles, father, and brother. He now had a potential job on the table and his brother was constantly trying to seduce him. Could his life get any weirder?


	6. Chapter 6

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. It looks like people are definitely leaning towards the law-abiding citizens option. We'll have to see how that plays out. Everyone thought that it Madara was Izuna's former lover, but that isn't the case. You'll find out who it was very soon. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** I made up a maiden name for Mikoto. I chose that name just because I thought it looked exotic and like it would flow well with her first name.

Chapter 6

The next day, Izuna sighs as he examines the hotel security footage with Fugaku. It just had to be him. Tobirama had found Mikoto and was attempting to spy on the woman.

Well that attempt had failed miserably, he thinks to himself with a smirk. Fugaku had married well. He had to give him that much. She was a feisty little thing.

"I can see why you miss her. Unfortunately, Tobirama has his sights set on her. That means we're going to have to act." Izuna says with a frown.

"Tobirama is your age. You would think that he would have given up by now. Honestly, I can't believe that he actually relocated. The man is obsessed. He found out that I moved out here after the divorce and followed us. Now that he knows that Mikoto is here, we have to do something. Does this footage come with a verbal component?" The other Uchiha asks desperately.

Izuna nods and quickly turns on the sound. He almost wished he hadn't. The look on Fugaku's face was utterly devastating as they listened.

 _"You know, just because you are a police officer doesn't give you the right to stalk people." Mikoto said after shoving the cop against the wall._

 _"Miss, please let me go. I have no idea what you are talking about. If you don't get off of me, I'm going to be forced to report this as assault." Tobirama replied, with feigned innocence._

 _"I think that you are bluffing. Do you really want to be known as the man who couldn't handle a former housewife "assaulting" you? I imagine that your fellow officers would find a great deal of amusement in that report." She inquired with a smirk, after rolling her eyes at his act._

 _"And here I thought you were the innocent one." Tobirama mused wryly._

 _It was clear that the cop now knew that his act hadn't worked. So he had dropped all pretenses of pretending to be innocent. Apparently, so had Mikoto._

 _"That depends how you define innocent. If by innocent you mean I'm the type of woman who isn't going to notice when a man is lurking around her room and has a gun, then I'm not. Don't make me file a restraining order. Your obsession with Fugaku has nothing to do with me. I haven't spoken to the man since our custody battle. Not that that is any of your concern." She snapped at him._

Izuna sighs after they finish watching the rest of the video and places his hand on his nephew's shoulder in a comforting fashion. He hated seeing him like this. The elder Uchiha wished that he could spare the other man the agony that he knew that Fugaku must surely be going through.

"At least we know that he believes her. He's got nothing on Mikoto and he knows it. He probably is just following her in hopes that she'll lead him back to you or tell him something useful." Izuna offers.

"Yes, still I need to warn her. The sooner she gets out of here, the better." He whispers.

"Fugaku, don't do anything stupid. She's a smart woman and can take care of herself. Did you not see her just throw that son of a bitch right against the wall?" He asks, only to discover that he was talking to himself.

His nephew had already run off. Izuna groans and smacks his forehead. Lovely. Just lovely.

He couldn't even be angry with the CFO for being so reckless. There was a time, that he would have been just as foolish. Love certainly wasn't logical. Sometimes it made you do things that were borderline suicidal.

"I suppose that I had better warn Madara." He mutters as he takes out his cell phone and calls his brother.

Madara would likely still be in a board meeting, but this was too important to wait. A few seconds later, the other Uchiha answers the phone. To say the least, the man wasn't too happy about being interrupted in the middle of an important presentation.

"Izuna, this had better be good. I have investors from all over the world, waiting for me to finish." Madara hisses at him.

"Hawk Eyes found Kitten. Red Dragon is going to warn Kitten to run off before the big, bad hawk gets her." He says simply.

Hawk Eyes was their codename for Tobirama. Mikoto was Kitten. Obviously, Fugaku was the Red Dragon. They had to speak in code. There was always the chance that their lines were being watched.

"You're kidding me." Madara says and Izuna sighs.

He really wished that he was kidding the other man, but he wasn't. Their nephew really was going to warn the adorable kitten about the hawk. This might not end well.

"I wish I was. Have a good presentation, big brother." He says sweetly.

"Izuna, you are such an asshole sometimes. Fine. I'll try to clean up this mess, as soon as I'm done. I can't leave in the middle of this without them demanding an explanation. I'll see you soon." Madara growls as he hangs up.

That was when Sasuke came into the room and Izuna immediately turned off the footage. He smiles at his nephew and rises to his feet. Damn. That had been a close one. Hopefully, Sasuke hadn't actually seen anything.

"Ah Sasuke. You're early. I thought that I told you to come see me at 9 A.M. It's five minutes till." Izuna says.

"I've always preferred to be a bit early. Sorry. Were you still busy with something else? I can wait, if you need time to wrap things up." Sasuke offers.

"Oh nothing that can't be put off until later. Come with me." Izuna says as he places his hand on Sasuke's back and leads him off.

Sasuke nods and lets his Great Uncle set the pace. He really didn't know where they were going. So it was easier just to follow his lead.

"How much do you know about Sharingan Corp?" He inquries.

"I know that it's massive and involved in several industries. Apparently, it's profitable enough that the company can afford to blow 100k a year on an entry level employee." Sasuke muses.

"Well you haven't signed your contract. You aren't an employee yet, but you're right on all accounts. We believe that we should offer the best compensation out there. After all, you get what you pay for. Remember that, Sasuke. It's an important lesson." Izuna says with a kind smile.

The younger Uchiha simply nods. For some reason, he thought Izuna was trying to tell him something more than just an old saying. He just couldn't figure out what.

"A big part of my job is making public appearances and doing interviews. Your fortunate. You take after me. You're blessed with a handsome face. That will always be an asset in a field like ours. I know that it shouldn't matter, but people are generally shallow." He continues.

"Yeah. I get what you're saying. Good to know that modesty is a family trait." Sasuke says as he rolls his eyes playfully.

"You are a sassy one. You're just like your mother in that respect." He chuckles.

Sasuke blinks. It hadn't occurred to him that Izuna might have met his mother. Though he supposed that it made sense. Madara and Izuna did seem close to Fugaku. Of course, they must have met Mikoto at some point.

"Did you know her well?" He asks cautiously, not wanting to offend the only normal AND cheerful member of his family. (He loved his dad, but it was obvious that the man was still in pain from his brutal divorce.)

"Oh well enough, I suppose. Fugaku was completely head over heels for her and the reverse was true. She loves you fiercely. I know that she feels the same way for Itachi." He begins with a sigh.

The younger Uchiha nods encouragingly. Sasuke highly doubted that Izuna was going to tell him about why his parents had divorced, but it would be good to hear things from his perspective. He was probably the closest thing to a neutral party in all this.

"I know she does." Sasuke whispers.

"It was just that was the way the custody battle ended. I wish that I could tell you more about the divorce, but it's really not my place. So here is an example of a typical day for me. I always try to be done with work by five, unless there is an important function that I can't get out of." Izuna informs him as he hands Sasuke a sheet of paper.

The college grad glances at it and his eyes widen. Damn. Izuna was a busy guy. The younger man had no idea how he managed to jam all this in before five.

"I can see why you need an assistant." He mutters.

"Good. Well shall we get started? I have an interview in about fifteen minutes." Izuna says merrily as they head on their way.

Meanwhile Fugaku runs into a flower shop and buys a single white rose. Once that was done, he quickly heads to the hotel. A few short minutes later, he had penned his letter and walks up to the hotel clerk.

"I need this letter delivered to Mikoto Amori. Please do so as quickly as possible. " He says.

After the divorce, Mikoto had gone back to using her maiden name. Amori. Sasuke had kept his last name. Fugaku suspected that was to protect him more than anything. Any Sharingan Dragon would hear that last name and immediately know not to mess with him.

"Of course, sir." The clerk says as she deposits it in the mail slot.

"Thank you." He says as he heads off.

The Dragon knew that the longer he stayed at the hotel, the greater the chance that Tobirama would see him. He couldn't let the cop know that he had been there. Tobirama was more than smart enough to make the connection with ease.

Five minutes later, Mikoto comes down the stairs and smiles at the clerk. Her name was Ayame. She was a very nice young woman and Mikoto had struck up a casual friendship with her already.

"Did I get any mail?" She inquires.

Mikoto didn't expect there to be any. So few people knew she was here. Though there was always the chance that Sasuke had sent her something. He knew how much she preferred face to face or letter communication over texts and emails. (She'd deal with them because they were part of modern life, but she still found them highly impersonal.)

"Yes, you just got something. A gentleman told me to give you this. He left a few moments ago." Ayame tells Mikoto as she hands her the letter.

"Thank you." She says with a smile, assuming that it was from Sasuke.

She walks over one of the cafes in the hotel and sits down to read her letter. After doing, so she quickly opens it. Her blood ran cold when she saw the white rose. That could only be from one person. Fugaku.

 _ **Dear Kitten,**_

 _ **There is no need to be alarmed. I am not writing this to start a fight. You should know that I am aware that you spoke with Hawk Eyes. Please leave as soon as possible.**_

 _ **Whatever you might think of me, you should know that I don't want to see you get hurt. The man is obsessed. Visit with our hatchling for a bit and then leave as soon as you can.**_

 _ **Happy Chinese New Year.**_

Her eyes widen. Kitten had been Fugaku's pet name for her. Hawk Eyes was obviously Tobirama. Fugaku used to call Sasuke their hatchling because Sasuke had been born in the Year of the Dragon. The Chinese New Year ending was an obvious reference to when they first met.

"Ayame, how long ago did you say that the man left this letter?" She asks.

"Maybe five minutes ago." The clerk replies in confusion.

"Did you see which way he went? It's very important. I need to know." Mikoto pleads.

The young woman blinks and tells Mikoto. Ayame wasn't sure what was going on, but it seemed important. She had only met the woman the day before, but Mikoto didn't strike her as someone who was prone to panicking like this.

"Is everything alright? I saw him leave in a blue convertible." She says.

"Yes, everything is fine. I just haven't seen him in a long time and don't want to miss him." She lies with ease as she races off.

Well Mikoto ran off as fast as she could in her high heeled shoes. Damn it. Why couldn't Fugaku had the decency to show up while she was wearing sneakers or something that she could properly run in?!

At precisely five o'clock, Izuna wraps up his day with Sasuke. Honestly, the boy looked more than a little shocked. Izuna couldn't completely blame him. After all, he did keep a very busy schedule.

"And that's a typical day for me. Always something to do. I'm never bored." He says.

"Yeah. I guess that's one way to look at it." Sasuke agrees.

Itachi chuckles as he walks over to his great uncle and brother. It looked like Izuna had started mentoring Sasuke. That was a good sign. Maybe things would start moving along more quickly now.

"How did it go?" He asks.

"Oh you're baby brother is a natural. I think we'll make a P.R. Specialist out of him in no time. Well I'll leave you two be. I'm afraid that I have some other matters that require my personal attention. Have a good night." Izuna says as he walks off.

"How old is he anyway? That schedule is insane. I can keep up with it, but I'm surprised that he can." Sasuke says.

Itachi couldn't help but laugh. Oh Sauske was adorable. He honestly had no idea who he was dealing with. The day Izuna Uchiha couldn't run circles around most people would be the day that Hell froze over.

"He's in his sixties. He's a couple years younger than Madara. Well it seems like you've had a long day. I bet you are starving." Itachi says.

"They are pretty spry for men that age. I hope it's genetic. Damn. What? Oh yeah. I am." Sasuke answers.

Itachi smiles. Ah perfect. This would be the perfect opportunity to get to know his brother again. He wasn't going to make a direct attempt to seduce him tonight. No, he had another plan in mind.

Sasuke's guard was still up around him, but it was slowly dropping. If he pretended to just be interested in pursing a "normal" brotherly relationship, eventually Sasuke would relax. THAT'S when he would win him over.

"How about we go get something to eat. My treat." Itachi offers.

"No tricks?" Sasuke asks warily and Itachi shakes his head in amusement.

"No tricks. Not tonight anyway. You've clearly had a long day. I'm not that cruel. Come with me, my little ANBU." He says with a smirk.

Sasuke twitches. He was pretty damn sure that Itachi was never going to let him live that down. He really did need to find a way to get up to Kage level and fast.

"I'll be at Kage level before you know it." He mutters.

"Oh I'm sure you will. You are an Uchiha. Greatness is in your blood. Is there anywhere in particular that you would like to go?" The elder man inquires tactfully.

"There's a nice steakhouse nearby. It's a bit on the pricy side though. So I've never really been able to go. You know how it goes. College students have to live off of ramen, macaroni, and pizza." He says.

"I was fortunate enough not to have that experience. I realize that I am in the minority though. Well I do believe it is time to get some real food in your system. Mother would be very cross with me, if she thought I was forcing you to dine on ramen every night." Itachi says as he leads Sasuke to his car.

Sasuke shakes his head. Idly, he couldn't help but wonder what Itachi's true opinion was on Mikoto. He had said that he loved their mother and he wouldn't deliberately set out to hurt her, but Sasuke was sure that his brother was still hurt from her abandoning him anyway.

"Yes, she wouldn't be too pleased to hear about how I have been eating recently. Do you miss her?" He asks and immediately regrets it.

"Of course, I miss her. She's my mother. I don't hold a grudge against her. I understand that she had her reasons for doing what she did, but it is painful. I won't lie about that. Sometimes, we hurt the ones we love most. This can happen without our even meaning to. I hurt her as well. She didn't agree with my choices, but I don't want you to ruin your relationship with her because of that." Itachi answers him as they drive off.

Sasuke nods. He didn't know what else he could possibly say. His heart did ache for Itachi. It must be frustrating to know that Mikoto was in Sasuke's life, but not his own.

"Looks like we're here." Sasuke says a few minutes later.

"That we are. It seems like a nice place." Itachi replies as he hops out of the car and waits for Sasuke to join him.

His little brother quickly gets out and follows Itachi inside. This brought a smile to the elder Uchiha's face. Sasuke could protest as much as he wanted, but he knew the truth. The raven haired man was just as eager to get his big brother's attention now, as when he was a child.

"Order whatever you like. As I said, it's my treat." The older man says once they sit down and look at the menu.

"Alright. Looks like you're a bit a celebrity." Sasuke muses as he glances through menu.

"I just ignore it. It's background noise at this point. You'll have to learn how to do the same one day. You are going to be the head of our Public Relations Department eventually. At that point, you will be come a well known public figure." Itachi muses.

He saw that there were plenty of men casting envious glances at him. That and more than a few women were admiring him. He was used to such thing. Their admiration and jealousy was utterly meaningless to him. The only person that he cared about impressing at the moment was Sasuke.

"I guess so. I think they are interested in more than just your business credentials though." Sasuke says slyly.

"I doubt that it's just me that they are looking at, but you're right. That doesn't matter to me though. I have no interest in their credentials." The older man informs him.

Sasuke really hoped that he wasn't blushing. He hoped that Itachi didn't meant that the way that it sounded. Maybe he had imagined the underlying implication. _"I have no interest in their credentials because I want you."_

"Good to know. I'll have a steak and tomato salad." Sasuke says after thinking about it for a minute.

"You really are my foolish little brother. Only you would order a salad in a steakhouse. Though I suppose, you have always loved your tomatoes." He muses.

Sasuke grumbles. Itachi said that he could have whatever he wanted. He didn't appreciate being teased about his choice. That wasn't very fair.

"What's wrong with tomatoes?" He demands.

"Nothing is wrong with tomatoes. I just found it an amusing selection to choose in a steakhouse. That's all. Calm yourself. I was only teasing. You're adorable when you get angry, but I don't want you to have a stroke or something." Itachi informs him.

Now, Sasuke was sure that he was blushing. If a normal brother had called him adorable, he would think that they were just trying to rile him up. Itachi might actually mean it though and that thought disturbed him.

It disturbed him because Sasuke still couldn't shake his physical attraction to his own brother. He was sick. He really needed help.

"Fine, but tomatoes are amazing and you should appreciate them more." He mutters.

"Of course. So tell me more about yourself. It has been so long since we last saw each other. I know that you practice Karate and what you majored in. I know very little else." Itachi offers.

Well that wasn't entirely true. He knew how Sasuke kissed and what he tasted like. He knew how his brother danced. Itachi also knew that his brother was very stubborn and completely chained by society's rules. He'd help him though. After all, big brothers were supposed to help their little brothers.

"I'm morally conflicted." He admits.

"Morally conflicted about what? Itachi asks in amusement, pretending that he didn't know the answer.

"Mother. She doesn't know that I've found all of you. I hate keeping secrets from her, but it would upset her. I'm an adult. I don't need her permission to see all of you, but still. We've always been close." He says with a sigh.

Oh. Hmm. It looked like he didn't know what after all. Itachi sighs and places his hand on Sasuke's in sympathy.

"If you wish to tell her, that's up to you. As you said, she can not legally stop you from seeing us. It is not our intention to cause a rift between the two of you." He tells him.

"I know. It's just hard. If you were me, what would you do?" Sasuke whispers.

That was when the waitress comes over and takes their orders. Sasuke and Itachi did their best to look like they weren't in the middle of a potentially life changing conversation. Fortunately, the waitress seemed more interested in flirting than listening to their conversation.

"Can I get either of you gentleman, anything else? ANYTHING, at all?" She asks as she bats her eyelashes.

"No, thank you. That's everything." Sasuke says, pretending that he hadn't noticed her implied offer.

"Yes, that should be everything. Thank you." Itachi agrees and the waitress pouts slightly, before heading on her way.

Once she was out of earshot, Itachi frowns as he considers how to answer Sasuke's question. There was the ethical answer and then the one that he wanted to give. He wasn't entirely sure which he should choose.

"It will be painful at first, but the right choice would be to tell her. Our mother is a very smart woman. She is likely going to figure out that something is wrong anyway. You have guilty written all over your face. Besides, I wouldn't want to see you suffer as you wrestled with this question." He says, after hesitating for a moment or two.

"I guess you're right." Sasuke mutters.

"Here you go." The waitress says when she comes back with their meal.

"Thank you. This looks wonderful." Itachi says, flashing her a charming smile and she blushes.

Sasuke nods his gratitude as well. Damn Itachi was good. He wondered how many other people had been instantly charmed by that damn smile of his. Sasuke decided that he probably didn't want to know.

God help him, he was jealous. Sasuke was jealous of people that he had never even met because Itachi MIGHT have smiled at them. He was pathetic.

"Are you alright, Sasuke?" Itachi asks.

"Yeah. I'll be fine. I was just thinking about what would be the best way to break the news to her." He lies.

"Well I suppose you should start at the beginning. I'll go with you, if you like. Though I'm not certain, if that would make things better or worse." The smoky eyed Uchiha offers.

Sasuke sighs and shakes his head. As much as he wanted to bring Itachi with him, he couldn't. That would just freak his mother out more.

"No. I think that this is something that I have to do on my own. I'm a big boy now. I can handle my own problems." Sasuke says.

"That's the spirit. You truly do have the heart of a Dragon." Itachi says with a smile.


	7. Chapter 7

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 7

Mikoto races to the parking lot. That's when she saw that a blue convertible was just beginning to drive off. Damn it. Why did he have to pick the day that she was wearing high heels to pull this?!

"Fuck it." She mutters under her breath as she quickly throws off her high heels and takes off after the beautiful car.

The dark beauty hisses in pain as the scorching hot asphalt pavement burns her feet. Her poor feet were only protected by her socks at the moment, but that was a secondary concern. She couldn't let him just drive off.

Fugaku was just pulling out of the parking lot and about to drive off when he saw something in the back of his rearview mirror. Well more specifically, he saw someone. It was Mikoto and she looked less than happy.

"Damn it." He mutters.

He could drive off anyway. That was certainly an option. His Kitten was fast, but she wasn't faster than a car. That or he could confront her. Fugaku sighs as he weighs his choices.

If he drove off, Mikoto was going to come looking for him. There was a chance that somehow that would alert Tobirama. He couldn't risk it. He was going to have to face her.

"This won't end well." He mutters as he turns around and drives back into the parking lot.

"He's coming back?" Mikoto whispers to herself.

She couldn't believe it, but Mikoto wasn't going to argue with this good luck. Quickly, she runs across the parking lot over to where Fugaku had now parked. It was almost like he was waiting for her.

When she got there and saw him sitting in the car, she almost forgot how to breathe. Mikoto hadn't seen her former husband in ten years. That was a long time. It felt like she was reliving the divorce all over again and to make matters worse, part of her was actually overjoyed to see him.

"I probably should have waited until later in the day to drop off that letter. You look as beautiful as ever Kitten, but why aren't you wearing shoes?" He asks in confusion.

"Don't you kitten me! This is all your fault! That includes the shoes! I couldn't chase after you in high heels." She mumbles defensively.

"I apologize. If I had known that you had chosen an inconvenient form of footwear to wear for a chase, I would have waited until you were wearing your running shoes instead. Though, I suppose that is really the least of my sins. Kitten, get in the car. You're going to burn your feet." He says.

It was one thing to see her on camera, it was another to see her in person. Fugaku suddenly realizes that he was in no way prepared for this reunion. In a strange way, he was grateful for her shoe troubles. At the very least, it gave him something to talk about besides well _**everything**_ else.

"Alright, but no tricks." She warns him as she cautiously opens the door and sits down, next to him.

"No tricks." He says as he watches her pull her socks off.

Her feet were already turning red. That looked painful. He sighs and pulls out a water bottle. Fugaku pours some of the water onto her and rubs her feet.

"I d-idn't give you permission to touch me." She stammers at him.

"No, you didn't. Are you saying that this doesn't feel better? I can stop, if you want me to do so." He tells her.

"You're an evil bastard sometimes." Mikoto mumbles.

The foot rub felt too good to resist. Besides, it was very much a platonic touch. There really shouldn't have been anything erotic about it, but there was.

"I've been told that more than once or twice. I imagine you'll be wanting an explanation. I'll give you one. The Dragons have our ways of monitoring people like Tobirama. He likes to spy on us and we return the favor tenfold. When I saw that he cornered you like that, I knew that I had to do something. There aren't any tricks this time, Kitten. I just want you to visit with Sasuke and get out of town as quickly as possible." He tells her.

"Have you seen Sasuke? Tell me the truth. For once, tell me the truth." She demands.

This was pathetic. God, she was pathetic. It had taken all of her strength to leave him ten years ago. Now here she was, stupidly allowing him to give her a foot rub and practically melting into it.

Fugaku sighs. He had hoped that she wouldn't ask him that, but of course she was going to. It was only natural. The woman was a tigress when it came to protecting their children. She always had been.

For a moment, he allows himself to be distracted by the sight of her legs. He had always admired her legs. Particularly, when they used to be wrapped around him. There was a certain elegance to the shape of them and they were a beautiful ivory cream color.

"Fugaku, I said that I want the truth. Have you seen Sasuke?" She demands again.

That snapped him out of his distraction. Apparently, he had allowed his mind to wander too long for her liking. It was just as well. If Mikoto had known what he was thinking about, she would have slapped him.

"I think that's something that he should answer for himself, really. I owe you the truth though. Yes, I've seen him. Can you really begrudge me that? He's my son. I haven't seen him for a decade, Mikoto." He says as he continues the rub.

She bites her lower lip. Damn it. Mikoto really needed to get out of here and quickly. She couldn't allow her resolve to be weakened by the sad puppy eyes.

"Thank you for being honest and for the warning. I know that you are likely taking a big risk by coming here and warning me. I do appreciate it and I can't blame you. It's only natural that you would want to see him, but you can't. It's not safe for him to be around you and you know why." She whispers.

The Dragon looks at her. He had expected fury, but that wasn't what he got. She seemed just as sad as he was about the whole affair.

"Mikoto, I understand. Believe me, I understand why you feel the way that you do. You also have to understand that I would never allow harm to come to either of our boys. I made mistakes. I kept things from you and I shouldn't have, but tell me that you at least believe that much." Fugaku says.

"Fugaku, I believe you. A parent's love for their child is something that can't be faked. Stay away from him though. Stay away from Sasuke. We both know that it's not safe for him to be around you. Itachi is another matter. I'm well aware that he's likely caught up in Madara's web by now. There's no going back for him, but that doesn't have to be the case for Sasuke." She replies.

Fugaku sighs. Mikoto just had never really understood the Sharingan Dragons. That was his fault. He should have told her sooner. Maybe if he had, things would be different.

"Mikoto, he's an adult. Sasuke can make his own decisions. I love you, but I also love our son. He should be the one that decides, if he wants me to be part of his life." The CFO replies.

SMACK! Mikoto had just slapped him and pulled her legs away from him. The raven haired woman just couldn't take him saying that. That was too far. Fugaku had no right to do that.

"You just slapped me **AGAIN**!" Fugaku says in an incredulous voice as he nurses his badly bruised cheek.

"You deserved worse than that. You're right. Legally, I can't stop Sasuke from pursuing a relationship with you, but you don't get to say that. You don't get to say that you love me. I'm going to find our son. I need to talk to him. I'm going to take Sasuke back home. He's already graduated from college. There's no reason for him to stay here." Mikoto says as she opens the door of the car and immediately bolts towards her own.

He sighs. Fugaku could go after her, but he knew that it was futile. His former wife was done talking for now. If he pushed, that would only make things worse.

"Damn that woman." The Sharingan Dragon mutters as he drives back to Amatersau.

He needed to speak with Sasuke. He needed to see him as soon as possible. Fugaku shuddered to think of what would happen, if Mikoto got to him first.

Meanwhile Itachi and Sasuke had finished their dinner at the steakhouse and were back at Madara's. More specifically they were inside Itachi's room and playing a videogame. That fact was still stunning to Sasuke.

He never would have thought that Itachi would actually play videogames. Not only did he play them, but he played them very well. Sasuke was now convinced that Itachi had to be cheating somehow.

"I thought that you hated videogames. You made a comment about my body not being one that you got from playing videogames all day." Sasuke mutters.

"Oh I never said that I hated them. All things in moderation, brother. Well except for three things. Family, sex, and money." He informs him with a straight face.

Sasuke sputters when he heard Itachi say that. He couldn't believe that the older man had actually said that. It was so surreal.

"Wh-at?!" Sasuke stammers out in shock.

"Well it's always a good idea to love one's family. One can never spend enough time with their family. Sex has always been a wonderful experience for me. As long as it's consensual and safe, there is no reason not to indulge in it. Personally, I prefer exclusivity clauses. That's a personal choice though. I don't think that I really need to elaborate on the issue of money, do I?" He asks.

Unbelievable! Just when Sasuke was starting to think that maybe Itachi wanted a normal relationship with him, the other man had to go and pull something like this. The younger Uchiha didn't even know how to respond.

"You're sick. You know that, right?" Sasuke mutters as he throws the controller down and gets up, heading towards the door.

"I suppose that many people might view our desires for each other that way. I don't though. The difference between genius and insanity is only whether or not the rest of society understands the brilliance of the person or people in question." Itachi reasons as he grabs Sasuke's hand before the other man could get out of the door.

"YOUR desires. Not mine! Mine ended the second that I found out that you're my brother. I love you, Itachi. I just can't love you THAT way!" Sasuke hisses at him.

Itachi shakes his head and pulls Sasuke close to him, before pushing him on the bed. The elder Uchiha quickly pins his brother to the bed and straddles his waist.

"You have always been a horrible liar, brother." Itachi whispers into his ear.

Sasuke hated himself for it, but he shivered. He really needed to find a way to make Itachi understand. They might be attracted to each other, but this was wrong. Very wrong.

"I'm not lying. You're delusional." Sasuke growls at him.

"I think that you're lying and I'll prove it." His brother retorts as he captures the other man's mouth in a heated kiss.

Sasuke reacted on instinct. He kisses back and moans when he felt Itachi deepen it. He could feel Itachi smirk into the kiss, but his body didn't care.

God, that felt good. So fucking good. Why couldn't someone who wasn't his brother kiss him like this? The raw need and adoration. It was pure seduction.

"What was that about not lying?" Itachi whispers, after breaking the kiss.

"I fucking hate you, right now." Sasuke mutters as he turns his head away in shame.

Damn it. He was supposed to be smarter than this. Sasuke was an Ivy League College Graduate. How could he be this stupid?!

Why on Earth, did he think for one second that Itachi was going to change? Ever since they found each other again, he had been trying to seduce him. Sasuke just didn't really understand why he was doing it now though. Why was he doing it, when Itachi knew that they were brothers?

"You don't hate me. You are just trying to live within the tight confines of what society has told you is acceptable behavior. You're afraid of how people would react, if they knew about us. That's all that these protests are about. You know that and I know that. So let's not insult each other's intelligence by pretending otherwise." Itachi states simply.

"It really doesn't bother you?" Sasuke asks quietly.

"I wasn't planning on advertising our relationship to the public. While I certainly do not care what the insects think, it would harm Sharingan Corp. To the public, we will just be a pair of loving brothers who are eager to spend time with each other, after not seeing one another for so long. In private, we will be lovers." He says.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Itachi was assuming a lot there. He wasn't saying if or would be. Itachi had said that they _**will be**_. In his brother's mind, apparently this wasn't a matter that was up for debate.

"You're assuming a lot. You shouldn't just assume that I'm going to agree to some sort of secret taboo relationship. You're very arrogant." Sasuke informs him.

"I still prefer the term realistically confident. We both know that I'm right. Despite your constant protests to the contrary, you still melt into my touch every time I reach for you. You can slap me more, if it makes you feel better. That won't change the fact that it's the truth." The smoky eyed Uchiha insists.

The younger Uchiha sighs. Itachi was probably right about that. It was wrong, but so far Sasuke was doing a horrible job at resisting his brother's advances.

Why did he have to be so gorgeous? Why did Itachi have to kiss him that way? And most vexingly of all, why did Itachi have to look at him that way? It was as if Sasuke was the center of his entire universe.

"We're both sick." He whispers and Itachi sighs as he caresses his cheek.

"Let us say for the sake of argument that you're right. That there is something wrong with both of us. If we keep our relationship a secret, who are we harming?" He asks.

Sasuke bites his lower lip as he considers that question. As long as they kept it a secret, they weren't harming anyone. There was just one problem with that though. Secrets tended to be found out.

"That's fine, but you know that won't work. There is no way that we could possibly keep this a secret forever." He whispers.

"Mmm I believe that you just implied that you did want to be with me. You are just scared of the consequences. I do believe that is significant progress." Itachi muses.

"Itachi, this is not funny. You know what? Just forget it. I can't believe that I was even thinking about this. I need to see a shrink. Maybe there is medication for my problem. Whatever my problem is." He mutters as he tries to wiggle his way out from underneath his brother.

Itachi just shakes his head disapprovingly. Sasuke looks up at him in disbelief. You would have thought that he was a child that kept trying to sneak out after curfew or something.

"I don't believe that they make medication that will make you stop loving someone. Believe me, that would be a top seller. You would know about it, if that was an actual product available for public consumption. Sasuke, you aren't going to run away from this. You might be able to stall, but you are going to have to face this sooner or later." The elder Uchiha says.

"Alright. Maybe you're right. Sooner or later, we are going to have to deal with this. Can it be later though? Please? It's all a little overwhelming. I haven't seen any of you in years. I'm learning how to be a Public Relations Specialist. I'm trying to reestablish some sort of relationship with father and now, my brother is claiming to be in love with me. That's a lot to deal with." Sasuke says.

Itachi mentally groans. Damn it. Not those damn sad puppy dog eyes. Sasuke used to give Itachi that look when he wanted a piggyback ride when they were younger and it had worked every single time. Now, it looked like he was going to use the same tactic as an adult.

"Alright. If you want time, you can have it. I just want you to think about the way you feel when we kiss, when you do." Itachi answers him.

"Sadly, I don't think that I'll ever be able to forget that." Sasuke whispers.

"Good. That's a start. I don't know why you insist on being difficult. Well I do, but it is still highly annoying. You will simply have to stop caring what random strangers think about you so much, if you ever want to be happy." The Dragon tells him as he gets off of Sasuke.

Sasuke just nods. What else could he do? What else could he say? He had just consented to at least considering the possibility of a romantic relationship with his older brother. He was so screwed (and not necessarily in a good way.)

"I'll think about it. Hey, is that dad's car pulling up in the driveway?" Sasuke asks as he glances out the window.

"Yes, I believe that's father's car. He does love his blue convertible. I have a red one. Father has blue. Madara has silver. Izuna is quite fond of his white one. It's something of a family tradition. We'll have to get you one as well. What color would you prefer?" Itachi asks.

Sasuke blinks. Yeah. Itachi had lost his mind. Not only was he trying to seduce his younger brother, he was also offering to get that brother a car. A really expensive car.

"I kinda like red too. I'll think about It. Right now, I'm going to go see him. I haven't really spent any time alone with him. I should at least try." Sasuke whispers.

"Good idea. I'm certain father will appreciate that. Good night, Sasuke." Itachi says as he kisses the other man's forehead tenderly and caresses his face.

"You really shouldn't touch me like that. I haven't made my decision and it's going to influence me. That's not fair." Sasuke mutters as he walks off.

It didn't take long for Sasuke to bump into his father. The youngest Uchiha blinks when he saw Fugaku's expression. It was a mixture of happiness, fear, and shock. A lot of shock.

"Dad, are you alright?" Sasuke asks in concern.

"Ah Sasuke. There you are. Honestly, I don't know. I need to talk to you though. It's important." Fugaku says as he leads his son into one of the spare rooms.

Sasuke blinks when he realizes he was in a really fancy laundry room. This place truly had everything, he muses. Including laundry rooms that were bigger than his college dorm room.

"Alright. What's going on? What's wrong?" Sasuke inquires cautiously.

"I saw your mother today. I know that I shouldn't have told her, but she asked if you had seen me. I didn't want to lie to her. I am truly sorry about that. I hope that you will forgive me. That and I think that I should tell you why we divorced. You do have a right to know." His father answers just as cautiously.

The raven haired man blinks. He was finally going to find out the truth. Finally, he was going to know what had driven his parents apart.

"It's alright. I was planning on telling her anyway. I want to know though. What really happened?" He asks.

"I have always loved your mother. I loved her from the first moment that I saw her, but I was stupid. I did something that she deemed unforgivable. I kept a secret from her. A big secret. The most sanitized version of events that I can give you is the following. Mikoto didn't approve of all of Sharingan's business practices. That is why she left me." He says.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. That was it? That was the big bad secret? That couldn't be all that there was to it.

"And what's the less savory version? She completely cut you and Itachi out of my life for years. I know that it has to be more than just that." Saske demadns.

"Our family has a rather proud history. Centuries ago, we used to be famous as Samurais. Unfortunately, that era ended. So our family was forced to make a living in other ways. Ways that weren't entirely ethical." Fugaku begins.

Sasuke nods encouragingly. He wasn't entirely certain that he liked where this was going. He just knew that he needed to know the truth.

"Go on. Whatever it is, you can tell me." He says.

Fugaku pauses as if debating about how to say the next part. Maybe he was just gathering some resolve. Whatever he was doing, it didn't take him long to continue his tale.

"Thus the Sharingan Dragons were born. There are two sides to Sharingan Corp. The public side and the private side. The private side is essentially a large organization that is involved in many activities. Some of these activities are operate in very Gray or even Black Areas." Fugaku explains.

Sasuke gapes at his father. Essentially, what Fugaku had just told him is that their family was some kind of Japanese Mafia. Whatever he had been expecting, that wasn't it.

"We're a CRIME FAMILY?!" Sasuke asks.

"I suppose you could look at it that way. We do other things besides crime though. Sharingan does a lot of good really. I won't lie to you though. There are some parts of the Sharingan Dragons that are not for the tenderhearted." He confesses.

The youngest Uchiha couldn't believe it. So that was the reason. That was why his mother had cut off all ties with them. They were in a gang.

"This is going to take some time to get used to." Sasuke says, feeling like his knees might give out from under him.

"Of course. I want you to know that I love you. I had wanted to break this news more gently to you, but I was worried your mother might tell you before I could. I wanted you to hear it from my own lips and not someone else's. I hope that you can understand." Fugaku says.

That was when Izuna peeks his head into the laundry room. He had overheard the entire conversation. Damn it. The elder Uchiha had wanted to wait until Sasuke knew them better to spring everything on him.

"Unfortunately, I must contribute to this conversation as well. Sasuke, there is someone that you must avoid at all costs. His name is Tobirama. He is the Chief of Police in this era. You haven't done anything wrong, but he knows about the Sharingan Dragons. He just doesn't have any proof to convict us. He'll likely be very interested in you." Izuna says as he hands Sasuke a picture of Tobirama.

"Noted. I think that I'm going to go lay down. This is all…well it's a lot." He mutters.

"Of course, Sasuke. I want you to know that you are under no pressure to join our organization. I just thought that it was time that you knew the truth." Fugaku says.

Sasuke nods. He didn't know how to react to all of this. In some ways, this was even more shocking than Itachi wanting him. His family was part of a huge criminal organization. What the fuck was he going to do about that?

"I know. I love you too, dad. I mean it. It's just that I need some time to let this all sink in. Oh and Izuna, I will avoid Tobirama like the Plague. I promise." Sasuke says as he stumbles off in a daze.

"That went better than expected." Fugaku says.

"Yes, it did. He'll be a Dragon in no time. How did it go with Mikoto?" The Public Relations Specialist dares himself to ask.

Fugaku sighs. He wasn't entirely sure. It had been going much better than he had ever dared hoped, until she slapped him.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you about it tomorrow. I did warn her though. She's smart. She'll stay safe. Goodnight, Izuna." The other man tells him as he heads towards his room.

"Goodnight, Fugaku." Izuna whispers.

Izuna sighs. Damn it. He could only hope that Mikoto and Sasuke wouldn't do something stupid. If they told Tobirama anything, it could be the end of all of them.

"How did it ever come to this?" He asks himself.

Once upon a time, Madara had worried that the police department was getting too close to catching them. He had sent Izuna on an undercover mission to throw them off the trail. That was when he met Tobirama.

Izuna hadn't planned for it to happen, but he had quickly fallen head over heels for the handsome police detective. For about a year, it had been complete bliss. They were deeply in love. That was until Tobirama found out the truth and vowed to put them all behind bars.

"It's only to be expected. He felt betrayed. It wasn't like I could tell him the truth though." He whispers as he feels a silent tear slide down his face.

He could sympathize with Fugaku. He wasn't the only Uchiha who had lost a lover because he was a Dragon. He just wished that he pain of that loss would go away. It had been decades. Sadly, he wasn't sure that it would ever get any easier.

"Whatever happens, I won't let him hurt my family." He vows.

Izuna still loved Tobirama, but he knew where he stood. If it came down to him or his family, he would choose his family. Izuna just hoped that it wouldn't come to that.


	8. Chapter 8

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 8

The next day, Sasuke felt numb. He didn't know what he was going to do. The youngest Uchiha didn't even know what to feel.

He finally knew the truth. Sasuke finally knew why his parents had divorced and the secret behind Sharingan Corp's wealth. He just didn't know what to do about that information.

"Sasuke, are you alright?" Itachi calls out gently to his brother.

He had come to check on Sasuke. He knew that last night he had made significant progress towards luring his brother back into his arms. That was until Fugaku informed him that he had told Sasuke the truth about their family's _business activities._

"Did you know? Did you know the real reason why mother and father divorced? Did you know about the Sharingan Dragons?" Sasuke whispers.

"Yes, I knew. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I was afraid of losing you. We all were. Sasuke, our organization does a lot of things that are less than ethical, but we also do a lot of good. Do you have any idea how much philanthropy Sharingan Corp does?" He asks gently.

Sasuke sighs. Of course, he knew about the corporation's generous giving. Sharingan Corp. was listed amongst the Top Ten Most Generous Companies this year and had been for at least a dozen years in a row.

Their gains might have been ill-gotten, but apparently at least some of them were being put to good use. Feeding the hungry, water sanitation efforts, conservation, disaster relief, and many other causes were on their list of charities. It was impressive really.

"I know. You do good things with that blood money. That's what it is. Isn't it? It's blood money. How many people had to die for those donations to be possible?" Sasuke demands.

"Yes, we do a lot of good things with that money. As for the answer to your question, I don't know. I don't exactly keep a spreadsheet. It's unfortunate, but sometimes you have to kill to defend yourself. Do you believe that soldiers are murderers?" Itachi asks him.

Sasuke just gapes at Itachi. He couldn't believe it. Not only did his brother know, he was condoning murder! This was wrong!

"Of course not! That's different though. That's fighting to protect yourself, your family, and your country. You are just trying to get more money. I'll grant you that sometimes you do good things with the money, but that doesn't make it right." He says.

"Sasuke, you're an adult now. Things are very rarely going to be black and white. Most of the time, we are all stuck in an almost infinite sea of gray." Itachi tells him as he kisses his forehead.

"Itachi, don't. I mean it. I can't handle it. Not right not." Sasuke whispers.

That was when Itachi realized that Sasuke was actually shaking and looked like he was on the verge of tears. Damn it. This wasn't the way that it was supposed to go.

"Contrary to what you may believe, I am capable of controlling myself when necessary. Normally, I have an exemplary amount of self-control. You are the only person who causes me to act in such an outrageous manner. I won't try anything further for today." Itachi tells him as he wraps his arms around his brother protectively.

Sasuke sighs in relief. Thank goodness. He wasn't sure what her would have done, if Itachi hadn't stopped.

He probably would have smacked him with his ANUB level strength and maybe broken a few bones. That or he might have become a basketcase. The youngest Uchiha wasn't entirely certain which would have been a worse outcome.

"Thank you." He murmurs as he leans into Itachi's embrace.

Just like that, Sasuke was a child again. A child that was scared and had rushed to his older brother for comfort. Seeking out the security and love that he knew that Itachi would provide.

"You're welcome. I know that this must seem overwhelming. It is completely your choice if you wish to become a Dragon. You don't have to. You could just take an "office job" and have nothing to do with the less savory aspects of the family business. There are other options as well." He begins as he rubs soothing circles on Sasuke's back.

"Mmm. Other options?" Sasuke asks as he closes his eyes and allows Itachi to soothe him.

Itachi smiles. Sasuke looked adorable in that moment. So innocent and completely trusting. He didn't know why. He had certainly given his younger brother no reason to trust him, but here Sasuke was laying in his arms as innocent and sweet as a newborn kitten.

"You could continue to have a relationship with our family members, but have nothing to do with the Sharingan Dragons or Family Business at all." Itachi says.

"That's an option?" Sasuke asks in surprise as he reopens his eyes.

Maybe he could have his cake and eat it to. The young Uchiha could have his crazy uncles, his father, and his brother in his life. He could do that without being part of a criminal organization.

It sounded perfect on the surface, but he knew the truth. There would still be blood on his hands. Sasuke would be sanctioning their behavior. That meant that he wouldn't be stopping them from killing people, if it came to it.

"Yes, it's an option. You were never part of our organization before. We can't hold it against you, if you don't join a group that you had nothing to with before you happened to reconnect with me. Not everyone is cut out to be a Dragon or to work at Sharingan Corp. We aren't monsters, Sasuke." Itachi assures him.

"That's good to know. I still need to talk to mother. Father talked to her. She knows that I've reconnected with all of you. I doubt she's going to be too happy about that." He says with a sigh.

"I can go with you, if you want. This isn't your fault. I'm the one that found you and brought you back here. Her anger should be with me, not you." The elder Uchiha replies.

Sasuke bites his lower lip. It was tempting, especially when Itachi held him like this. He felt completely safe. It would be so easy just to snuggle up into his arms and to forget about the rest of the world for awhile.

He knew that would be wrong. Itachi may have invited him back to see their family, but Sasuke had accepted the offer. He knew what the potential consequences of such an action were. The college graduate would just have to deal with them.

"No. Thank you, but this is something that I have to do on my own." Sasuke says as he reluctantly frees himself from Itachi's comforting embrace.

"Alright. No matter what happens with our mother, I will be here." Itachi promises him.

"I know." Sasuke says with a smile as he places a chaste kiss to Itachi's lips.

It didn't stay chaste for long. Itachi immediately wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck and pulled him closer. He had said that he wouldn't try anything, but the elder Uchiha was hoping that Sasuke wouldn't hold that against him. After all, Sasuke had started it.

Sasuke gasps when he felt Itachi deepen the kiss. He probably should have expected it. He just hadn't been thinking when he kissed his brother. Itachi had just been so sweet and supportive, that Sasuke had acted on instinct. Apparently, the other Uchiha was now doing the same thing.

"I know that I said that I wasn't going to try anything, but that was before you kissed me." Itachi whispers, after breaking the kiss.

"I know. I shouldn't have done that. That was my fault." He murmurs.

Itachi shakes his head as he caresses Sasuke's cheek. He really was some kind of deviant, he decides. That was the only logical explanation. How else could he go from comforting Sasuke with a loving, brotherly embrace to wanting to embrace him as only a lover would?

He didn't really care about the taboo aspect of their relationship. Itachi just felt dirty for wanting to help Sasuke forget about everything that was troubling him by spending the rest of the day in bed. Preferably with as few clothes as possible.

"It wasn't your fault and you should have done that. I'm glad you did. I wish that you would stop torturing yourself. Stop denying yourself what you clearly want." Itachi says and as if to prove his point, he glances downward.

Sasuke felt his face burn with shame. He might have still been wearing pants, but there was no mistaking the bulge in them for anything other than what it was. He had gotten aroused by his brother's kiss again. This time in a way that he couldn't deny.

"I do want you, but I shouldn't. Itachi, you're smart. I know that you are. You know that this is wrong." Sasuke whispers.

"Sasuke, stop thinking so much. Just feel. No one needs to know. No one needs to know how much we love each other. It will be our secret. I promise." Itachi assures him as he pushes him back onto the bed.

Sasuke glances up at Itachi. He was laying flat on his back and Itachi was now hovering over him. The younger Uchiha bites his lower lip.

If he really protested, Itachi would stop. He had stopped before Sasuke kissed him. It wasn't like Itachi would actually force him. He was outrageous and liked to flirt with whatever boundaries Sasuke established, but he didn't think that Itachi would actually cross them.

"Just for a little while, we can forget. Just kissing. Nothing else?" Sasuke asks.

Maybe if he set limits, it would be okay. It was just kissing. Nothing life altering. They had kissed before. It wouldn't change anything, but it did feel good.

"Of course. Just kissing. Let me take care of you." Itachi says as he brushes his lips against Sasuke's throat in a seductive kiss.

"I s-aid kissing! I didn't say neck-ing." Sasuke groans as he arches against his brother desperately.

"You said kissing. You didn't specify that it had to be on the lips." Itachi retorts smugly as he lavishes the pale column of Sasuke's neck with gentle kisses, licks, and nips.

Sasuke sighs in contentment and runs his fingers through Itachi's silky hair in response. In some distant corner of his mind, he notes that Itachi would have made an excellent lawyer. That was such a technicality.

"I guess th-at's true. I'll be more specific next time." The raven haired man whispers.

Itachi found himself smirking in response. Whether or not it was intentional, Sasuke had acknowledged that there was going to be a next time. That was progress.

"That's good. You're a quick learner." Itachi praises him as he lightly nips Sasuke's collarbone.

"And you're a fucking tease. I sh-ould get going. I have to talk to mother about everything." He moans.

"You sure you want to go like that? Don't you think she'll notice your "problem?" Perhaps you should at least change into some looser pants." He suggests.

Sasuke groans. Damn Itachi. He was right though. Maybe looser pants would be a good idea. That or a cold shower.

"I think I'll just take a cold shower before I head off." He mutters in annoyance.

"An excellent idea. Though you could make it a hot shower and I could make sure that you don't slip or fall." Itachi suggests.

"You are the biggest pervert that I have ever met in my life. I tell you that I want to makeout and you immediately ask to shower together?" Sasuke says as he rolls his eyes and wiggles off the bed.

Itachi shrugs. One didn't get what they wanted out of life by sitting around and waiting for it to happen. You had to go for it.

"It doesn't hurt to ask. I figured that you would say no, but you can't blame a man for trying." The smoky eyed Uchiha replies.

"I guess not. I'll see you later." Sasuke says as he heads off in search of his shower.

Meanwhile Tobirama sighs. The Uchihas were a tough lot to track down. He would never be able to sneak up on Mikoto again. The elder Uchihas were out of the question. That meant that he was reduced to "stalking" Sasuke.

He felt dirty doing it. As far as he could tell, Sasuke was just a "kid." Well technically he was a grown man. He was twenty-three, but Tobirama was over sixty. To him, anyone under the age of forty was a kid.

"Well it looks like he went to college in the city. What are the odds? Hmm. Interesting." He murmurs to himself as he looks through Sasuke's public records.

Tobirama winces as he saw Sasuke's picture up close. He could have passed for Izuna's identical twin a few decades ago. The resemblance was uncanny and brought back entirely too many memories.

 _"This place is amazing!" Tobirama told Izuna as the handsome youth showed him around Amatersau._

 _"You haven't seen the best part yet. Come on. You are going to love this!" Izuna said happily as he took Tobirama's hand and led him off to another room._

 _The white haired police detective blinked in awe at what he saw. It was a state of the art training room. The Police Department that he worked on, didn't even anything this advanced. Incredible._

 _"You weren't kidding. This is unbelievable." He mused._

 _"I thought you might like it. The punching bags even have readers on them. If you hit them, it'll rank you. Scale of 1-100. One being the weakest and 100 being the strongest." Izuna informed him._

 _"Surely, you can come up with something better sounding than a number." He taunted him._

 _"Maybe. Let's see what you can do. I wanna see which of us gets the higher score." Izuna teased him as he threw a mighty punch._

 _A number displayed after the punch. It was a 94. That was rather impressive. Hmm. This was going to be a challenge._

 _"Alright. I'll humor you. Let's see how accurate this thing is." The white haired man replied as he smashed his fist into the punching bag with as much ferocity as he could muster._

 _It didn't take long for another number to register. It was a 97. Tobirama grinned at Izuna in triumph who just pouted._

 _"It must be broken or slightly off. That's the only logical explanation." The beautiful man sulked as he crossed his arms adorably in a huff._

 _"Of course. It couldn't just be because I'm stronger than you." Tobirama observed in amusement as he lightly pinned Izuna to the wall._

 _"Alright. Maybe you have a slight edge in strength. That's alright though. You're a cop. You're supposed to be my knight in shining armor." Izuna whispered as he brushed his lips against the other man's._

 _The young detective had never seen a more beautiful sight than Izuna's eyes. There was just something memorizing about them. Almost otherworldly really. For him, it had been love at first sight. He just couldn't believe that Izuna actually returned his feelings._

 _"Of course. I'd slay a Dragon for you anytime." He promised._

 _"I don't want you to slay Dragons. Dragons can be very nice sometimes. You really just have to get to know them, but I can think of few more pleasurable uses for your sword." Izuna said suggestively as he reached for Tobirama's belt._

 _"Have I mentioned lately, how much I love you?" Tobirama asked._

 _"Mmm you may have mentioned it once or twice, but I never get tired of hearing it." Izuna said as he kissed him._

 _He kissed back. They spent the rest of the day in the Training Room making love. It was a damn good thing that those walls were soundproof or else someone would have come and investigated. Izuna could be a rather vocal lover when he wanted to be. (A fact that Tobirama used to adore to no end.)_

"How did things go so wrong?" He whispers to himself.

Everything had been perfect. Unbelievably so, really. That was until he found out the truth.

There had been a very good reason why Izuna hadn't wanted him to slay Dragons. He was one. He was one of the leaders actually. Tobirama had been crushed when he found out.

"Damn Madara." He growls under his breath.

How could his beautiful and perfect Izuna be involved in such an evil organization? The police detective decided that there was only one answer that made any sense. It was Madara's doing.

Oh he didn't know if the elder Uchiha had ever threatened Izuna or used force to make him a Sharingan Dragon, but the end result had been the same. At some point, Madara must have convinced Izuna to join and the younger man had done so.

"This is all his fault." He says as he bites back a snarl.

Izuna was just a man who was loyal to his family. That was all. As much as it broke his heart, he understood why the other man had chosen the Sharingan Dragons over him.

Tobirama did believe that Izuna had meant it when he said that he loved him. He just loved his family more. That was fine. He had made his choice, but one day he was going to capture all the Dragons. Maybe then he would finally have some closure and those beautiful eyes would finally stop haunting his dreams.

An hour later, Tobirama wasn't the only person who was being tormented by their past. Mikoto was as well. The mother of two was trying her best not to think about it, but it was no use.

"What's wrong with me?" She mutters as she gets into the bathtub and takes out her phone.

The nice thing about her phone is that it was waterproof. She could surf the Internet and bathe at the same time. In this case, she could text Sasuke and look for flight tickets simultaneously.

That was a good thing. Fugaku was right about one thing. She should get out of this place as soon as possible. Hawk Eyes was not a man to be trifled with. He was relentless and they both knew it.

"It was just a foot rub." She mutters to herself in disgust.

Sadly, she really was that pathetic. That was apparently all that it took to remind her of happier times. Once upon a time, they had all been a happy and loving family. That had all changed, once she found out the truth.

Mikoto believed in being honest with herself. At least in the privacy of her own mind, she could admit the truth. She still _**missed**_ him. That fact both infuriated and frightened her at the same time.

"The sooner that we can get out of here, the better." She mutters as she texts Sasuke.

 _ **Let me know when you are free for dinner. I believe that it is time to head home. You've graduated college. You can move back home. ~ Mother.**_

She missed what it was like before. Mikoto missed being made love to and falling asleep in her husband's arms. She missed knowing that the next morning they would both wake up and help their children get ready for school. She missed celebrating birthdays and holidays together. She missed _**him.**_

Mikoto had thought about it hundreds, if not thousands of times. Even before the divorce proceedings where final, there had been dozens of times where she had almost backed out of it. The mother of two had almost caved into the urge to reconcile with him.

 _ **I'd love to have dinner, but I don't know about moving back home. I like it here, mother. Maybe you could move here instead. ~ Sasuke.**_

Fugaku probably would have taken her back. They could have been a family again. She wouldn't have had to sleep alone anymore.

All she would have had to do was take him up on his offer. He could have stuck to the business side of things. She could have turned a blind eye to some of the more shady activities that the Sharingan Dragons were doing. After all, apparently Mikoto had been living in the dark for two decades. What would it have really hurt?

"It would have been wrong though." She whispers.

Itachi had been eighteen when they divorced. Mikoto and Fugaku had been together for a little over year when they wed and shortly after that, she became pregnant. It had been a fantastic Honeymoon.

Fugaku had been overjoyed when he found out that she was expecting. Despite everything that had happened, she still found herself smiling at the memory. It had been a much happier time.

 _ **Alright. We'll talk about it at dinner. I love you. ~ Mother.**_

 _ **I love you too, mother. Always. ~ Sasuke.**_

She sighs as she looks at plane ticket prices. Fugaku was right. She needed to get out of there quickly. The mother of two believed him when he said that he still loved her.

That was why she needed to go home. She needed to get out of here, before she did something stupid.

"He still looks at me the same way." Mikoto mumbles.

It was in the way he looked at her. The way that he still called her Kitten. How gentle and reverent his touch had been, despite the fact that those very same hands could probably still crush a grown man's skull easily.

Fugaku had said that he loved her. That was why she really needed to go. That scared her far more than Tobirama did.

"There we go." She murmurs once the plane ticket prices come up.

She had committed no crimes. Mikoto hadn't been an accomplice to anything. Tobirama couldn't lock her up and he couldn't touch Sasuke. No, she wasn't scared of the cop. She was scared of her ex husband.

It was strange. Most women were scared of their ex husbands because they feared emotional or physical abuse. That wasn't the case with Fugaku though. She was afraid that she would do something stupid, like telling him the truth.

 _ **I can meet you at Mangekyo in about thirty minutes. I already have the reservations. ~ Sasuke.**_

 _ **I'll be there, baby. I can't wait to see you. ~ Mother.**_

She might tell him that she still loved him. From there, it would be a very short journey back into his arms. Mikoto couldn't allow that to happen. She had Sasuke to think about.

It was too late to save Itachi, but Mikoto would make sure that Sasuke was safe. She wouldn't allow him to be caught up in Madara's web. She would do whatever was necessary to keep her baby safe.

"I can't allow myself to get distracted like that again. It's dangerous." She murmurs as she gets out of the bath and begins dressing.

She would have dinner with Sasuke. Mikoto would find a way to convince him to go home with her and she would do her best to move on. She wasn't his Kitten anymore and she needed to remind herself of that for Sasuke's sake.


	9. Chapter 9

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** This is a family and old flame chapter. Next chapter, we'll see more emphasis on Sasuke x Itachi again.

Chapter 9

Mikoto quickly heads to Mangekyo. It was one of the most expensive restaurants in the city. She was proud of Sasuke for graduating and wanted to splurge a bit. That and she was hoping that she could talk some sense into her youngest son. She really needed to get him out of there.

"I'm over here, mother!" Sasuke calls out to her and Mikoto smiles as she strides over to her son.

"It's so good to see you." Mikoto says as she kisses Sasuke's cheek.

Sasuke nods. It was good to see her as well. He just didn't know how he was going to explain all of this to her. Mikoto Uchiha had had good reasons to cut the paternal side of his family tree out of his life. She had just been trying to protect him and Sasuke no longer wanted that protection.

"It's good to see you too. I love you, but there's so much that I have to tell you. I have to say things that are going to make you angry. I don't want to hurt you, but I have to be honest." The raven haired man tells her cautiously.

"I know, Sasuke. We've always been honest with each other. I don't want that to change now." Mikoto says as she caresses his cheek.

The youngest Uchiha takes a deep breath and tries to gather his resolve. He wasn't really sure how Mikoto would take his "betrayal." He didn't view it as one, but she might.

He loved his mother and the rest of his family. Sasuke didn't want to have to give any of them up. Somehow, he had to make her understand his choice.

"I didn't seek them out. I was just at a nightclub with some friends. We were celebrating our graduation. I bumped into Itachi and we hit it off. Eventually, introduced ourselves. He invited me back to his place. Mother, he's my brother. I missed him. I never understood why I couldn't see him anymore after the divorce. You never told me. I was curious." Sasuke pleads with her.

Mikoto sighs and nods understandingly. It was only natural that he would be curious. That was her own damn fault really.

"Sasuke, it's alright. I'm not angry with you. None of this is your fault. The blame falls squarely on myself and your father. Please, tell me what happened next." She replies encouragingly.

"He showed me around Madara's place. Eventually, I met Izuna and reconnected with father. I was going to tell you, but I just didn't know how. Father told me that you two ran into each other." He finishes awkwardly.

The dark beauty bites the inside of her cheek. She didn't know how to respond to any of that. So far, it looked like Sasuke might not know about the Sharingan Dragons. She had to know for sure though.

"Sasuke, you're a grown man now. I can't stop you from seeing them, if you want to. I want you to know though, that I had very good reasons for doing what I did. I was trying to protect you." She whispers, hoping that he could understand.

"I know that you were, mother. I appreciate it. I was too young back then. I never would have been able to understand everything. They're my family though. I love them. I think that we should all talk. Maybe we could work this out. I know that Itachi would be thrilled to see you and I think that father still loves you." The college grad says.

Mikoto winces as if Sasuke had slapped her. Sasuke knew then. She doubted that he would have said something like that, if he didn't. Why else wouldn't Sasuke have understood, if it wasn't for the Sharingan Dragons?

"You know, don't you?" Mikoto whispers in horror.

"I know. I don't know all the details, but I know about the other side of the family business. Please mother, at least hear them out. Maybe we can convince them to retire or something. I just want our family back together. That's all." Sasuke says.

She sighs. Fugaku had offered to essentially retire. That wasn't enough though. The Sharingan Dragons would still exist. They would just be lead by someone else. That was still condoning murder, amongst other crimes.

"I swore that I would never speak to them again, but for you I will break that vow. I love you, Sasuke. I love you more than anything. I never met for this to happen. We'll talk to them. In time, you'll see that I'm right. After that happens, we can go home." She says as she kisses his forehead.

"Are you really going to try or are you just saying that to pacify me?" Sasuke demands.

"I'll try, Sasuke. We'll see what happens. I don't hold out any hope that this will work, but I made you a promise and I'm going to keep it. I'll hear them out and see what they have to say." Mikoto assures him.

"Great. Let's eat and then I'll take your back to your hotel room. I'll see when would be a good time for us all to meet and we can choose a location." Sasuke says with a smile.

"Yes, that sounds like a plan." Mikoto agrees.

Meanwhile Izuna takes out a disposable cell phone and places a call to the police station. He couldn't let this go unaddressed. He was going to protect his family.

"I think that there has been a shooting in my neighborhood! Please hurry! The address is 123 Madison Avenue!" He says in a panicked voice.

"We're on it, Sir! Find a safe place to hide. We'll send the team immediately!" The officer on the phone answers immediately.

"Thank you! Thank you!" The Dragon replies and he hangs up.

Unfortunately, he knew that Tobirama wouldn't be coming alone. That was alright though. He had several Dragons in poison. Snipers. This time, they would only be using tranquilizers though.

A few minutes later, several police squad cars arrive on the abandoned street. It used to have a factory on it, but that factory had closed years ago. It was the perfect location. Izuna gives the signal and the snipers take aim.

Immediately, the darts go flying and the police officers stumble over in confusion. Izuma smirks and flits over. He quickly drags Tobirama inside the factory.

"I'm sorry about that. You aren't exactly an easy man to get in touch with. They'll be fine. They'll sleep for a couple hours and wake up, good as new. Well they might have a headache, but that's about it." Izuna tells him.

"Izuna?" He asks a stunned voice and the Uchiha nods in confirmation.

Izuna bites his lower lip as he looks at Tobirama. The man had aged exceptionally well. He supposed that the man's job was a large part of that. One generally had to be fit in order to be a cop.

"Yes, it's me. I know that you cornered Mikoto. We have eyes and ears everywhere, Tobirama. The reason you are still alive is because of me. If we had wanted you dead, you would have been a long time ago. Don't you dare threaten my family again. I don't care if she is no longer married to Fugaku. She is the mother of my great nephews. She's still family, even if she doesn't believe she is." He hisses at him.

Izuna hated how cold he sounded. He had to though. He couldn't let Tobirama know how much he missed him. How much he regretted how things had ended between them.

"It's strange. You're so intelligent. You managed to plan all this out and yet, you still are stupid enough to threaten the Chief of Police." He muses.

"I would say the same about you being stupid enough to threaten my family." The Uchiha retorts.

 _The reason you are still alive is because of me,_ Izuna's words ring in his ears. That meant that Izuna still cared about him, on some level. It might have only been because of nostalgia, but it was something.

"I didn't threaten her. I was just watching her. I finally have proof though." Tobirama says triumphantly.

"You finally have proof of what?" Izuna asks warily.

"I always carry a recorder on me, just in case something like this happens. Izuna, I know that you love your family. I realize that Sasuke and Mikoto are innocent, but the rest of them are criminals and you know that. You're a criminal too, but I know that's only because of Madara's brainwashing. If you would agree to be a witness, I can get you immunity. You don't have to go down with them." He says.

The Dragon's blood ran cold. How could he have been so stupid? Wait. Tobirama said he had a recorder. That meant he only had one. As long as he destroyed it, then everything would be fine.

"Tobirama, if you ever loved me, you won't do this." He pleads.

"Izuna, you know that I loved you. That's why I'm giving you a chance to escape prison. Take the deal. Let me help you. You don't have to be in his shadow anymore." He says.

Tobirama hoped that Izuna would take the deal. God, he hoped that he would. For years, he had fantasized about the other man going to prison and maybe that would cure him of this illness. This sick love that he still had for the other man.

Looking at him now though, he knew the truth. He'd never be cured. He still loved Izuna. Tobirama had to try to reason with him.

"Do you really think that you could do it? You could convict us and you could grant me immunity?" Izuna asks.

He didn't really know which of them would win in a fight at this age. It would be stupid to engage in a brawl with the other man, if he didn't have to. Another tactic was necessary, Izuna decides. _**Seduction.**_

"Yes, I could do it. I can keep you, Mikoto, and Sasuke safe. I promise. Come on, Izuna. You can at least enjoy your twilight years with a clear conscience. It's not too late." Tobirama pleads.

"Do you really think that? It isn't too late?" Izuna whispers as he wraps his arms around Tobirama's neck and glances up at him with hooded eyelashes.

Tobirama had always told him that it was his eyes he fell in love with first. Izuna was hoping that was still the case. Maybe this could work.

"I can keep you out of prison. It's been a long time. But if you are willing to go straight, maybe it's not too late for us either." He says.

Izuna smiles. It was nice to know that Tobirama still carried a torch for him. He felt the same way, but it couldn't be. He was a Dragon and the other man was a cop.

"Maybe is just a baby yes." The raven haired man tells him as he brushes his lips against Tobirama's.

The cop's eyes widen when he felt Izuna kiss him. It had been decades, but it still felt the same. White hot lust and pleasure were now racing through his veins. He quickly grabs Izuna by his ass and deepens the kiss.

Izuna allows himself to enjoy the moment. God, how he wished that he could have more than one last kiss. Sadly, this was all that he was going to get.

He reaches for Tobirama's pocket as he seduces the other man with his tongue. He smirks into the kiss when he felt the device in his hand. Naturally, he grabs it and hurls it into the wall. It shattered into thousands of tiny pieces.

"IZUNA!" Tobirama cries in shock when he hears the shattering.

"I'm sorry, Tobirama. I love you. I still do, but I can't let you throw most of my family in prison." He whispers as he turns to head off.

Tobirama lost it, when he saw Izuna turn his back on him. Something inside him snapped and he tackled the other man to the ground. He had always had a slight edge in raw strength and he hoped that was still the case today. Izuna was fast, but that didn't matter once you had someone pinned.

"Not this time! I'm not letting you get away this time! You can't do that. You can't fucking kiss me like that and then walk away! Why, Izuna?! Why?! You say you love me and I believe you, but you still chose your damn brother over me!" He snarls.

Izuna blinks. Tobirama sounded more jealous of Madara than upset about his criminal activities. He didn't know how to react to that, but he knew that he was in real danger. As much as he was loathed to admit it, he was stuck.

"Do you think that it's easy for me to walk away? You're the only man that I've ever loved, but he's family. It's not what you think. Madara didn't trick me into becoming a Dragon. He doesn't threaten me. I'm a Dragon of my own freewill. I always have been. Family comes first. Tobirama, get off of me." Izuna tells him.

"No. Not this time. I'll bring you down to the station!" He says.

"Baby, I have a dozen snipers standing outside this building. If you try to put me in the squad car, they are going to hit you with tranquilizers and I'm going to walk out of here anyway. Let's not do this the hard way. Now get off of me." The Dragon growls at him.

Tobirama sighs as he gets off Izuna. It was infuriating, but he was right. The snipers would hit him, long before he ever got the other man into the car.

"You always did think five steps ahead." He sighs.

"Thank you. I learned from the best. I learned from you. I'm so sorry about what happened between us. I never meant for this to happen. We were worried about the police department. I went undercover. I just thought you were cute and before I knew it, I was in love with you. Then you found out the truth and now here we are." Izuna says in a rush.

He knew that he might never get another chance. Izuna need some sort of closure. He wanted to make Tobirama understand.

"I believe you. Think about what I said though. My offer is still on the table. This is my number. I hate myself for it, but I still love you and I know that you feel the same way now. You wouldn't have kissed me like that, if you didn't." He says as he slips a business card into the other man's pocket.

"You're right. I do still love you. That doesn't change things though." Izuna says as he walks out of the building and calls off the snipers, before driving off.

A short while later, Sasuke finds the other Uchihas and springs them good news on them. He wasn't really sure how they would react, but he had to try. He hoped that somehow, his family could reconcile.

"She really wants to meet with us?" Itachi asks in a stunned voice.

"Well I don't think that she wants to, but she agreed to hear you all out. I begged for her to do it. That doesn't matter though. It doesn't matter why she agreed. What's important is that she did." Sasuke reasons.

"He's right. Did she say where she wanted to meet?" Fugaku asks.

It was a chance. A very slim one, but it was still a chance. Maybe he could get his Kitten back. For a few moments in the car, she had wanted him. He was sure of it.

"No. I um told her that we'd has out those kinds of details and let her know." Sasuke says.

"Well I don't think she'd be too happy to see me or Izuna. It might be best, if we bowed out of this one." Madara says and Izuna nods in agreement.

"Tell her that if she's agreeable to it, we can meet her at the Samehada tonight at eight." Fugaku says.

It was a rather expensive seafood restaurant. Not surprisingly, his Kitten loved seafood. She rarely indulged in it though.

"Alright. I'll text her now." Sasuke says as she fires off the text.

 **Mother, I talked to them. Madara and Izuna can't make it. Father and Itachi can though. What do you say to dinner at Samehada at eight? - Sasuke.**

Fugaku and Itachi watch with baited breath for a few tense moments. This could be the beginning towards reconciliation or another heartbreak. Neither of them knew which it was going to be.

 **I'll be there. ~ Mother.**

"Well that was surprisingly easy." Sasuke says with a smile and the other Uchiha men breathe a sigh of relief.

A few hours and several very nervous Uchihas later, they all arrived at the Samehada and were seated. Mikoto had gotten there first and was wearing THAT dress. Fugaku wasn't sure if she had forgotten how much he loved it on her or if she was taunting him.

It was a beautiful deep purple satin dress. It only had one strap which was made of fragile lavender floral designs on its right side. Other than that, it had a sweetheart neckline. A cut that had always flattered her bosom, in his mind.

His torture naturally didn't stop there though. The fabric caressed her every curve and ended at her toes, though there was a long slit in it. Damn her legs. She had to be taunting him.

"Mother." Itachi whispers and Mikoto winces.

It had been the hardest decision of her life to leave Fugaku and even harder to cut off ties with her eldest son. Seeing Itachi in person, made that decision even more painful.

"Itachi, it's been so long. You must despise me for what I did." She says.

"I don't despise you. I know why you did it. I won't lie, it did hurt me. That doesn't matter though. You're here now." He says as he walks over and embraces her.

Mikoto smiles and hugs back. She clings to her son tightly. Oh how she had missed him!

"I never did stop loving you. I just couldn't do it. I was worried that you would get killed in a fight or something." She murmurs into his ear in such a quiet voice, that only Itachi could hear.

"That's understandable. This evening isn't about the past though. It's about the future." He tells her diplomatically as he pulls out a seat for her.

"Thank you." She says as she sits.

Fugaku sighs. He didn't know what to say. There were so many things that he wanted to, but the words wouldn't form on his tongue.

"I'm glad that you agreed to see us tonight. Itachi and I have missed you horribly." He says.

"I've missed you both as well." She admits, only to be interrupted by their waiter.

"What will you all be having this evening?" He asks and soon enough, the young man scribbles down their orders and darts off to place them.

Fugaku pauses as he decides just to be blunt. She knew the reason why they were here. There was no need to sugarcoat it.

"Sasuke knows everything. Well he knows the basics at least. Sharingan is too large to thoroughly brief someone so quickly. I know that you have your objections to our business, but that's okay. If it meant having you back in our lives, I would still gladly focus exclusively on the traditional side of our business." He says.

"I'm also willing to make that offer." Itachi tells Mikoto.

She winces. They were both making the same offer. Maybe she should just take it. She could have her son back in her life and maybe Fugaku.

"It's tempting. It really is. You both have no idea how much I've missed you. Sasuke, what do you think about all this?" Mikoto asks.

Sasuke blinks. He was still trying to sort that out really. The youngest Uchiha frowns as he realizes that this was now all up to him. Whatever he said or didn't say would impact the rest of their lives.

"Mother, that's not fair to ask him that. Sasuke is still getting used to everything he had nothing to do with any of our decisions. That and he looks like he's going to be sick." Itachi says as he places his hand on Sasuke's shoulder comfortingly.

"You're right, Itachi. Sasuke, I'm sorry. That was wrong of me. I just find myself at a loss for what to do. That's all." She admits.

It was good to see that Itachi still adored Sasuke though. She smiles as she realizes that much hadn't changed. Her eldest son had always been so protective of his baby brother. That was good at least.

"It's alright, mother. It's just a lot to take in." Sasuke admits and soon enough their food is served.

Mikoto was grateful to have food as an excuse not to talk. She listens as Itachi and Fugaku tell her what they had been up to. The dark haired beauty wasn't an idiot. She knew that they were giving a highly sanitized version of their exploits.

"You've done so well, Itachi. You're an economist. I'm proud of you." She says with a smile as she kisses his forehead.

"Thank you, mother. Izuna wants to train Sasuke to be a Public Relations Specialist. He certainly has the face for it." Itachi muses.

Sasuke blushes at that and Mikoto laughs. Of course, she didn't know the real reason why her youngest son was blushing. If she had, she wouldn't have laughed.

"Well that's certainly true. He takes after me when it comes to his looks. Does that position interest you, baby?" She asks.

"I'm still exploring the possibility. I never really thought about it before. Izuna seems to be having a grand ole time with it though. So maybe." Sasuke says.

The rest of the dinner passes by relatively uneventfully. It looked like all four of the Uchihas had suddenly mastered small talk. None of them really wanted to broach the important issues further.

"Sasuke, do you need a ride back to Naruto's?" Mikoto asks at the end of the evening.

"No. I'm good." The raven haired Uchiha tells her.

He figured he's spring the whole fact that he was spending the night more often at Amatersau than at Naruto's later. He had already dropped enough bombshells on the poor woman for now.

"Alright, Itachi?" She asks.

"I'm good as well. Here is my number. Please don't hesitate to call. I have missed you greatly." Itachi tells her as he hands Mikoto a slip of paper and she smiles.

"I'll be sure to do that." She promises and watches as the boys walk off.

She probably should have taken off when they did, in hindsight. Now she was alone with Fugaku and she didn't know what to do about that fact. Damn it.

"The boys are gone. Do you want me to give you a ride back to your hotel room?" He asks.

"I think that we both know that is a bad idea, but there is still a lot that we need to talk about. So yes." She cautiously agrees.

Fugaku smiles and drives her back to the hotel. Once they got to her room, she lets him in. In a way, she felt like he was a vampire. She had just invited the "monster" in. That invitation couldn't be revoked easily now.

"You look beautiful in that dress. Was it your intention to torture me or did you honestly forget how much I loved it?" He asks as he caresses her cheek.

"Maybe I wanted to torture you a little, but Samehada is a very high class restaurant. I couldn't exactly walk in wearing jeans and a t-shirt." She mumbles in her defense.

"Well I do adore this dress on you, but no one makes jeans look better than you." He tells her.

She sighs. He really need to stop saying things like that and she needed to stop being weak. Mikoto hadn't agreed to anything yet, but calling Itachi. It would be wise to keep things that way.

"Thank you, but please stop buttering me up. We have important things to talk about." She tells him.

She desperately needed to focus. Mikoto couldn't allow Fugaku to distract her. This was too important.

"I know. I can keep him safe, Mikoto. Whatever Sasuke decides, I can keep him safe. Nothing ever happened to you and the boys and we were married for almost twenty years." He reminds her.

"Reminding me that you kept a secret from me for two decades, isn't a particularly promising start." She mutters.

"You're right. This should be a much more promising start." He says as he pushes her against the wall and kisses her.

Mikoto kisses back instinctively. Fugaku had always been an excellent seducer, particularly with his mouth. She felt herself melt into the kiss and wraps her arms around his neck to pull him closer to her.

She knew that she was going to regret that action as soon as he grabbed her by her backside and she wraps her legs around him. At the moment though, her rational mind was rapidly shutting down. It just felt so good to be kissed and held by him again. Maybe one kiss couldn't hurt that much. Just one.


	10. Chapter 10

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 10

A few hours later, Sasuke snuggles further into the warmth that his blankets were providing. He didn't know why he felt so ridiculously comfortable. It had always been a comfortable bed, but this was ridiculous.

Itachi smiles as he watches the younger man sleep. Sasuke was even more adorable while he slept. After the big dinner, the two of them had gone back to his room and ended up talking. At some point, his brother had fallen asleep and Itachi just didn't have the heart to move him.

"Mmm." Sasuke murmurs as he burrows further into him.

"You just have to be impossibly adorable, don't you?" Itachi whispers as he kisses the slumbering Uchiha's head.

Sasuke's brows furrow as he hears something. Slowly, his eyes flutter open and he looks around in confusion. That's' when he sees Itachi and blushes.

"Did we, you know?" The raven haired man asks anxiously.

"No, Sasuke. We didn't have sex. If we had, you WOULD remember. Believe me, I can assure you of that much." Itachi tells him in amusement.

That was all it took for Sasuke to go from a light blush to the deepest blush that he had ever had in his life. He couldn't believe that the other man had actually said that. Actually, he could believe it. That didn't change the fact that it was embarrassing though.

"Noted. What time is it?" Sasuke asks.

"Mmm it's a little past seven in the morning. If you like, you can go back to sleep. You looked rather peaceful. I'm sorry that I woke you up." Itachi apologizes.

"It's tempting, but I probably should get up. Do you know where father and mother are?" Sasuke asks.

Itachi sighs and bites his lower lip. It was an unfamiliar sensation for him to be nervous, but he couldn't deny that he was. He didn't want to get Sasuke's hopes up, but he also didn't want to hide the truth from him.

"Father, didn't come home last night. I gave him a call, shortly after you fell asleep. He says that he had given mother a ride back to her hotel room and that they were going to try to discuss things further. I think that they felt that it would be easier to be frank with each other, without us watching their every move." He answers.

"Wait. He's still out?" Sasuke asks in shock.

"As far as I know yes. He said that it might take awhile and not to worry. Whatever you might think of father, I promise you that he is not a naturally violent man. I'd be more worried about his safety than mother's. Mother has a rather vicious left hook. If memory serves, I would place her at Jonin level." Itachi muses.

Sasuke blinks. That meant that his father and mother were out all night. Presumably, they were alone together. They were alone together in a hotel room. It didn't take a genius to figure out what might have happened.

"Do you think that they got back together?" He whispers.

"I don't know. It's possible. I know that father still loves mother. I'm not exactly sure how she feels about him, but the fact that she was willing to let him take her back to her hotel room does make me inclined to believe it's possible." The smoky eyed Dragon says.

The younger Uchiha tilts his head to the side as he considers his brother's response. Could it really be possible? Were their mother and father getting back together?

"Well anything's possible. Do you think that it's likely though?" Sasuke dares himself to ask.

"I'd say that there is at least a fifty percent chance that they spent the night together. I'm less certain what will happen afterwards, if they did." Itachi admits.

"Please don't make me regret this, but hold me. I don't know if I can handle not knowing." He murmurs.

Itachi smiles and lays back down with Sasuke. He quickly throws the blankets over them and wraps his arms tightly around the other man. That was one request that he would never have an issue granting. Holding Sasuke.

"I won't make you regret it. It's alright. Go back to sleep. I'll let you know, if anything happens." He whispers.

"Thank you." Sasuke yawns and he closes his eyes.

He knew that it was wrong, but Itachi was just so comfortable. He felt completely safe in his arms and cherished. Nothing was going to hurt him as long as he was with Itachi.

It was twisted and he knew that, but that didn't change the fact that Itachi's embrace soothed him. Once upon a time, he had rushed into his brother's room for comfort whenever he had a nightmare or a bad storm scared him. It had been innocent. Now things were different.

"You're welcome." Itachi says as he turns the lights back off.

He knew that Itachi wanted him to be his lover and his body was definitely open to the idea. It was wrong. They were brothers. Despite this, Sasuke still felt as safe today in Itachi's arms as he had when he was a small boy. There was something seriously wrong with him.

Meanwhile Mikoto was also waking up. Like Sasuke, she felt ridiculously comfortable. Unlike her youngest son, she knew why that was and that's what made her eyes flood open as memories of the previous night came flooding back to her.

 **Warning Implied Lemon**

 _"Reminding me, that you kept a secret from me for two decades, isn't a particularly promising start." She muttered._

 _"You're right. This should be a much more promising start." He told her as he kissed her and pinned her against the wall._

 _Mikoto told herself that it was just one kiss. One kiss had lead to more though. It hadn't take long for them to find their way to the bed or for him to tear off her gown and his suit._

 _She really should have known better, but it had just been complete ecstasy. It had been years since she'd last been touched in such wonderfully wicked ways and Fugaku had always known exactly how to drive her to a beautiful insanity._

 _"You have no idea how much I missed you." He whispered as he kissed her again._

 _"I missed you too." She confessed as she returned his heated kiss and wrapped her legs around him._

 _The sensation of brushing up against each other so intimately, after so many years had caused them both to moan. It still amazed her how perfectly they fit together. It was as if no time had passed at all in that respect._

 _They made love over and over again. She lost count how many times they joined together. They were simply too ravenous for each other to stop. Every touch, every kiss, lick, and every caress just felt too good to resist. It had taken hours before they both finally fell asleep in each other's arms._

 **End of Implied Lemon**

"Oh God. What have I done?" She whispers to herself in horror.

She had just slept with her ex husband. Her ex husband who was part of a secret criminal organization that had existed for hundreds of years. How could she have been so stupid?!

"Kitten, don't." Fugaku says simply as his eye slowly open and he traces his hand over the curve of her hip.

In his mind, last night had been pure bliss. Ten years was a long time. His memories of their time together were a pale comparison to the real thing.

Sadly, he knew that Mikoto wasn't going to be as eager to reconcile. Oh she still wanted him, that much was obvious. Mikoto could protests as much as she wanted to the contrary, but their bodies knew the truth. They were still made for each other. Unfortunately, he also knew that his former wife was going to feel tremendously guilty.

"Don't what?" She whispers, her lip already quivering.

Damn it. She was likely on the brink of tears over the moral crisis she was no doubt facing. The dark beauty had always been a kind woman. The more unsavory dealings of the Sharingan Dragons were just something that she wouldn't be able to condone.

"Don't run away again. I lost you once. I don't think that I could survive losing you twice. I know that this isn't easy for you, but you can't tell me that last night meant nothing to you. I love you and I know whether you want to admit it or not, you still love me as well." He murmurs as he places a gentle kiss to her shoulder and continues caressing her.

He knew that he wasn't fighting fair. Mikoto was a very sensual woman. She loved sex as much as he did. She also loved being caressed as much as he enjoyed doing the caressing. Mikoto had always been such a good Kitten. She loved to be petted and would purr so sweetly for him.

"Mmm th-at's not fair." She murmurs.

"I know that it isn't. I'm not leaving until you tell me that you'll at least consider giving me a second chance. I made you happy once, didn't I?" He asks.

"You did, but that was before I knew. I'm sorry. I just can't do it. I can't condone what the Sharingan Dragons do. This was a mistake. A beautiful mistake, but it was still a mistake." Mikoto says as she tries to wiggle out of his hold.

Fugaku wasn't having it though. He wasn't going to let her go this time. Not without a fight. He sighs as he tightens his grip around her waist. It wasn't enough to hurt her, but it was firm to put it mildly.

"What if I wasn't a Dragon anymore? Would you be willing to forgive what I did in the past then?" He asks.

Mikoto blinks and she stops moving. The mother of two was fairly certain that she had stopped breathing. She couldn't possibly have heard him right. Fugaku was offering to clip his wings?

"Do you really mean that? You'd completely cut off all ties to the Sharingan Dragons AND Sharingan Corp?" She whispers.

"It's not something that I would want to do. I love being a Dragon. It's part of my heritage, but I mean it. If it would mean that I would get you back, I would." He promises as he places soft kisses against her neck.

She pauses as she considers his answer. He was offering to give up a huge part of himself. It wouldn't stop the Sharingan Dragons from committing crimes though. It wouldn't erase what Fugaku had likely already done himself.

"Mmm could you st-op doing that, while I try to think?" She asks.

"I could, but I don't really want to. Besides, you seem to enjoy it." He says as he bites down lightly on her neck, causing her to moan.

"I do and that's the problem. I need to think clearly." Mikoto whispers and Fugaku stops his sensual teasing.

He watches her warily. He really didn't know what she was going to do. Fugaku didn't know what else he could possibly offer her to make amends. If this didn't work, she was likely going to leave again.

"Alright. You're right. That wasn't fair to distract you like that." He apologizes.

"As for your proposal, I don't know. The Sharingan Dragons would still exist and that doesn't change the fact that you kept a secret from me for years. How could I ever trust you to be honest with me when I know how sneaky you are?" His former wife asks.

"Mikoto, I made mistakes. I made a lot of large ones, but you know that I love you and I love our boys. I don't expect you to forget what I did, but I really don't see what the benefit out of making us both suffer is. You're playing the role of the Martyr and you don't have to do so. I'll stop. I mean it." He assures her.

She sighs. It was hard. Now he was offering her something very concrete. She couldn't realistically expect him to shut down the Sharingan Dragons. Madara and Izuna were also in charge of it. Even if Fugaku tried to do such a thing, he'd be placing a target on his back and they both knew it. Without Madara and Izuna's consent, this was the most that he could offer her.

"I need some time to think about it." She mumbles.

"Take all the time that you need." Fugaku says as he kisses her head.

Back at Amatersau, Madara and Izuna were in the midst of a heated discussion. The two topics of interest were obviously Mikoto and Tobirama. Unfortunately, neither of them knew what to do about either.

"You and Fugaku are still a pair of lovesick puppies after all these years. It's unbelievable!" Madara exclaims.

"You only say that because you've never truly been in love. Not everyone can be fully satisfied with just carnal relationships. Fugaku loves Mikoto and I love Tobirama. Perhaps our nephew will be able to reconcile with her. I know that I won't be able to with Tobirama. I'm not an idiot, Madara." Izuna whispers.

Madara sighs and embraces his brother. He wasn't like Fugaku and Izuna. Madara Uchiha was just not a man naturally wired for monogamy. Oh he never cheated. He had honor, but he let his lovers know that their relationship would only be a temporary one.

Most of them were more than fine with that arrangement. After all, they got to briefly enjoy a passionate affair, be lavished with gifts, and become famous for awhile. He had never had any real complaints. Sadly, his brother and nephew's love lives were far more complicated and tragic.

"I know that the feelings don't go away. Truly, I am sorry. I hate seeing you in such pain, but you know that it will never work. Izuna, he's a cop. You're a Dragon. That was a recipe for disaster from the start." He murmurs.

"I know. I've told my heart that a million times, perhaps a billion. It just refuses to listen. I will always choose our family over him though. As much as it hurts, family comes first." The other Uchiha says.

Madara nods approvingly. His heart did ache for his little brother. Izuna had never loved anyone the way that he loved that damn cop. He knew that much.

"That's very noble of you. I'm relieved that I only pursue the more carnal aspects of relationships. I can't imagine subjecting myself to what you and Fugaku do." He says with a chuckle.

"You mean that you're happy that you are promiscuous and unable to form permanent attachments to anyone outside your family." Izuna says.

Madara shrugs. He wouldn't say that he was unable to form attachments outside of his family. The elder man just didn't see the need to do so.

The CEO was perfectly content to get all the love and affection that he needed from his family and satisfy his physical needs with an endless series of flings. The flings were fun, but he never got emotionally invested in them. As long as it was consensual, who cared that he wasn't a monogamous person?

"Yes, I suppose that you could say that. Don't worry. It'll all work out somehow. What are we going to do about your former lover and Mikoto?" He asks.

"I don't know. He doesn't have proof of anything. I know that Fugaku didn't come home last night. I can only assume that they rekindled their flame. How long it will burn is anyone's guess." Izuna says with a sigh.

He couldn't imagine what Fugaku would do, if it burned out again. On some level, he was positive that Mikoto still cared for his nephew. It was likely that they had spent the night together, but he had no idea what would happen afterwards.

"Essentially, I believe you desire to see how events unfold. Is that correct?" Madara asks.

"For now, that is the most savory option. You're correct. That is my preference. Are you of a similar mind on this matter?" Izuna inquires.

"At the moment, I am inclined to agree. I must be honest though. I feel rather uneasy about all of this." He admits and Izuna nods in agreement.

He sighs as he glances out the window. It was such a beautiful day. The clear skies certainly didn't reflect the turmoil that was currently raging inside their family. It was almost as if nature was mocking them.

"I feel the same way." Izuna confesses.

Unbeknownst to Izuna and Madara, they weren't the only Uchiha brothers who were facing a moral dilemma. Sasuke had woken up once more and this time, it was Itach who was asleep. That fact caused the younger Uchiha to bite his lower lip.

"He looks so innocent." Sasuke mutters in amusement.

Innocent was certainly not a word that he had ever applied to Itachi Uchiha before. Sasuke couldn't deny the accuracy though. His brother looked almost sweet as he curled up into the blankets without a care in the world.

"I wish that it was as easy for me, as it was for you." He says as he caresses the slumbering man's cheek.

He knew it was wrong, but even now he felt drawn to Itachi. He was gorgeous. Itachi was intelligent. There was also the fact that it was obvious that their attraction was mutual.

Itachi had held him so protectively. There were real feelings there. Sasuke just wished that they were more platonic in nature, but he couldn't deny that they loved each other more than they should now. Sasuke didn't believe in lying to himself.

"And yet, that's exactly what I've been doing." He murmurs as he glances more at the beautiful man who was currently sleeping next to him.

He sighs and takes out his phone. He needed to talk to someone about this. He wasn't really sure how Naruto would take the whole him being in love with his brother thing, but maybe he could be vague.

 **Naruto, do you want to meet up later? I know I haven't been around a lot, but I have been catching up with my family. ~ Sasuke.**

The raven haired man smiles when he sees that Naruto responded almost instantly. That was Naruto for you. The man never went anywhere without his phone.

 **Yeah! That'd be great! It's cool. I mean you haven't seen them in forever. When and where? ~ Naruto.**

Sasuke pauses as he considers his answer. When would be a good time? Maybe for lunch. He still had an hour or two before that.

 **Lunch at the ramen shop? Meet you there at Noon? My treat. ~ Sasuke.**

 **Oh boy! Free ramen! That sounds awesome! Yeah. I'll be there. ~ Naruto.**

The youngest Uchiha snorts in amusement. He wished that the rest of the world was so simple. All it took to make the blonde happy was ramen. Damn. He was jealous of his friend's life.

 **Sounds good. I'll see you then. Bye. ~ Sasuke.**

"Mmm who are you texting and what is so amusing about the conversation?" Itachi asks as he wakes up and stretches.

Sasuke takes a moment to admire the stunning sight. It was like a jungle cat or something. Itachi Uchiha was beautiful. There was just no getting around that undeniable fact.

"My friend Naruto. I offered to treat him to ramen for lunch and you'd think that I had given him the world. The man is obsessed with the stuff." Sasuke says.

"Mmm well I hope you have fun. It might be good for you to do something normal and take your mind off everything. I will call you, if something happens." Itachi says as he pulls Sasuke down for a kiss.

Sasuke's eyes widen. Unfortunately, his body responded before his mind caught up. Damn. Itachi was a good kisser.

Why?! Why did the man have to be his brother?! If it wasn't for that and the Sharingan Dragons, Sasuke wouldn't have any issue signing up for that exclusivity clause.

"Mmm yeah. It might be good for me. This place is crazy. It's like a completely different world and I still don't really know what to make of it." Sasuke admits, after breaking the kiss.

"It's different than most places, but I like it here. I'm happy here and I know that you can be happy here too. I can make you happy." Itachi says as he caresses Sasuke's cheek.

Sasuke didn't doubt that. He didn't doubt that at all. That didn't change the fact that they shared the same blood. It was still wrong.

He had to keep reminding himself of that fact. It was getting harder to care though. Itachi was just such a good kisser and had a way of making Sasuke feel like he was the center of his universe. It was an addictive combination.

"I know that you could. I just don't know if it's a good idea." He whispers.

"I look forward to replacing those shackles that society has placed on you with handcuffs." Itachi says simply.

Sasuke sputters. What the Hell?! He probably should have seen that one coming. No one was as outrageous as Itachi.

"You wish. If there are ever cuffs involved, I would be the one doing the cuffing." Sasuke informs him as he gets off the bed.

"Mmm I adore you, but you are a little delusional sometimes. You don't seriously think that you would be the one who would cuff me, do you? There is a fine line between confident and delusional." Itachi taunts him.

"You're such an ass, sometimes" Sasuke grumbles as he throws a pillow at Itachi.

Instead of smacking the elder Uchiha in the face, Itachi caught it. Damn him, Sasuke thought. Even his reflexes were perfect. Everything about him was perfect. It just wasn't fair.

"I'm certain that my ass occupies quite a bit of your thoughts. I'm flattered." Itachi retorts.

"You're so lucky that I have to meet Naruto in about an hour. I have to get going. I'll see you later. Maybe by then, you'll actually act normal for once." Sasuke mutters.

Itachi shakes his head in amusement. If nothing else, his baby brother was highly entertaining. The elder Uchiha knew that he would never be bored with Sasuke as his lover.

"What did I tell you about being normal?" He asks slyly.

"That's really not the point. I have to go. I'll see you later." Sasuke says as he walks off.

Itachi sighs as he watches Sasuke leave. Somehow, he'd get through to him. He knew that he was getting closer.

After all, they had shared the same bed. Sasuke had also returned his kiss. Surely, those were good signs. It was only a matter of time before he accepted the inevitable.

"It's still rather frustrating." He mutters.

Damn society's rules. First, they had cost him his mother. Now, they were trying to cost him the man that he loved. Well Itachi had never been one to give up easily.

He was bound and determined not to be denied what he wanted because of social norms. Somehow, he'd win over Sasuke and reestablish a relationship with his mother. He just wasn't sure show yet, but he would.

"After all, Uchihas never give up and neither do Dragons." He muses to himself.


	11. Chapter 11

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you like this chapter.

Chapter 11

Fugaku sighs about an hour later, when he finally makes it back to the Amatersau. Mikoto needed some time and space to think about his offer. He honestly didn't know what she was going to do.

"You look like a man who has the weight of the world on your shoulders. Come on. I'll get us some drinks and we can talk about whatever happened. Oh and DON'T try to pretend that something didn't happen. I KNOW that something did. Otherwise, you would have come home last night." Izuna says cheerfully as he saunters off towards one of the kitchens.

Despite the situation, Fugaku chuckles. That wasn't a request. Izuna Uchiha didn't do requests. He did charming commands. It was no wonder that even Tobirama had fallen victim to his charms, once upon a time.  
"You're right. Something did happen. It was wonderful at the time, but it may have been too soon." The younger Uchiha admits as Izuna pours them each a shot of whiskey.

"Did you sleep with your ex wife?" Izuna asks slyly.

The father of two gapes at Izuna. He knew that his uncle was hardly bashful when it came to the topic of intimacy. Very few Dragons were, but he hadn't expected Izuna to be THAT blunt.

"We did. Multiple times actually. It was as if no time had passed at all." He confesses.

"Well it's good that you two still have your physical chemistry. That's critical in almost any romantic relationship. Please tell me that you weren't foolish enough to get her intoxicated and then seduced her back into your bed though." The elder man demands.

Fugaku gives his uncle a dirty look. He would never stoop that low. He was an Uchiha. He didn't take advantage of intoxicated women and he certainly didn't need obsessive amounts of alcohol to make him a more appealing romantic companion!

"Of course not!" He thunders at him.

"Relax. I was merely joking. Well I see that she is still your Sun, your Moon, and your Stars. The question is what are you going to do about that?" He asks as he downs his shot of whiskey.

"I want to win her back. I made her an offer. One that I don't know if she will accept, but won't make you happy." He states simply.

Izuna raises an eyebrow. That didn't sound particularly promising. Actually, scratch that. That sounded horrible.

"Go on. I'm listening. You know that I only want for you to be happy. Madara feels the same way. He just doesn't articulate it as much." He assures him.

"I promised her that I would give up being a Dragon. I'd even give up working at Sharingan Corp, if she'd give me a second chance." He admits.

The elder Uchiha sighs. He had been afraid of something like that. He would certainly hate to lose Fugaku's skills out in the field and as their CFO. Despite that, he could hardly begrudge the man his chance at happiness.

"I won't lie. That would be most inconvenient. You're irreplaceable, but we would find someone else to fill the worst of the void. Sharingan Corp. isn't a one man operation. No matter how skilled a man may be in his chosen profession, no man is an island." Izuna assures him.

"I'm glad to hear it. You're still my family. It doesn't matter whether I'm a Dragon or not." He vows.

"I'm glad to hear that. Truly, I am. I only wish that I also had a chance to fix my own romantic woes. Unfortunately, I have made my bed. Now, I must live with the consequences." He says with a sigh.

Fugaku pats him on the back comfortingly. He could certainly understand his relative's pain. He had shared it for ten years. Truthfully, he had no idea how Izuna had managed to keep his sanity intact for as long as he had.

"I wish that as well. I'm sorry about Tobirama. I loathe him, but I realize that he wasn't always such an uptight, obsessive prick." The other man offers.

"Well I suppose that is only to be expected. He does have a rather large prick." Izuna says with a chuckle and Fugaku chokes on his drink.

"I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear you say that. It's less traumatizing that way." The father of two mutters in disgust.

He had no issues with the fact that Izuna was gay and Madara was bisexual. Hell, Itachi also preferred men. It was just that he would rather not think about a sixty something year old man's _equipment._

"Of course. Whatever helps you sleep at night. So you never thought about being with a man?" He asks curiously.

"Never. I just enjoy the female form too much. It's softer and much warmer. Unfortunately, the female of the species is a much more complicated creature. Maybe there is something to your preference, but it's not for me. Mikoto is the only person that I've ever loved in that respect." Fugaku answers sincerely.

Izuna chuckles. He adored his nephew. The man was certainly a diamond in the ruff.

"I sincerely hope that you are able to win her back, despite the fact that the Dragons and Sharingan Corp. will suffer greatly from the loss of your talents. We're survivors though." Izuna replies.

Meanwhile Sasuke was at the Ramen Shop with Naruto. He probably shouldn't have offered to treat the other man. He wasn't a Public Relations Assistant yet. Naruto was going to make him go broke.

"So I need your advice on something." He says.

"Yeah? What is it? You know that I'm here for you." Naruto says between bites.

"There's this guy. I'm really into him and he's into me, but there's a problem." Sasuke says.

Naruto blinks. Uh oh. Sounded like Sasuke's Prince Charming from the nightclub was living a double life or something.

"What's the problem?" The blonde asks curiously.

"I don't really wanna talk about it. Let's just say that most people would approve of our relationship, if they found out. No one would get hurt physically, but I don't think people would understand." He mumbles.

The college grad tilts his head to the side. Well that was really vague. Sasuke was going to have to give him more than that to go on.

"I'm going to need more information than that. So far though, I'd say go for it. If no one is going to get hurt, who really cares what people think? Sasuke you came out of the closet when were still in school. That took guts. You didn't give a fuck what people were going to think about it. You just did it. Don't let a bunch of strangers stop you from being happy." He says sagely.

Sasuke pauses as he considers Naruto's words. Maybe he had a point. That and the memory of Itachi's kiss still sent a shiver down his spine. A very good shiver.

"Maybe. This is pretty out there though." He says.

"It's the hottie from the nightclub, isn't it?" His friend asks and Sasuke gulps.

He didn't really know, if he should tell Naruto that. The slightly younger man didn't know that Itachi was his brother, but he'd find out eventually. Then what would happen? Naruto would probably be disgusted. He might lose his best friend over this.

"Naruto, it doesn't matter who the guy is. I'm not sure, if I'm going to be in a relationship with him. So there's not much of a point in giving you a name yet." Sasuke reasons.

"If you like him enough to ask me this, then you must really like him. Whatever it is, can't be that bad. It's not like he killed somebody, is it?" The blonde asks with a nervous laugh.

Sasuke blinks. Honestly, he wasn't really sure. He knew that Itachi was part of the Sharingan Dragons. They were a major criminal organization. There was a very real chance that Itachi might have actually killed someone.

"Right." The raven haired man says as he tries to fight back against the feeling of unease that was suddenly growing in his stomach.

He really didn't know much about Itachi. He knew that the man was an economist and somehow part of a criminal organization, but he didn't really know what role Itachi played in it.

He also knew that Itachi was an amazing kisser and a natural seducer. Itachi was smart. Itachi was confident, bordering on arrogant. Disturbingly, that was really about all that he knew about his potential lover.

"Well that's good. He doesn't sell illegal stuff, does he?" Naruto tries again.

"Um that's not the concern." The Uchiha replies.

Once more, Sasuke couldn't help but feel disturbed. He didn't really know the answer to that question. Well he would rather have Itachi be a seller than a murderer, but still.

"I'm not into guys, but he had a banging body. Is he a stripper?" Sasuke's best friend asks him.

Sasuke chokes on his ramen. He couldn't believe that the other man had asked him that. Then again, this was Naruto. He probably should have seen it coming.

This was bad, even straight men recognized how gorgeous Itachi was. What chance did he really have of resisting the other Uchiha's seduction attempts, if straight guys knew he was hot? None. Sasuke was so screwed.

"He's definitely not a stripper." Sasuke informs him tersely.

Itachi would make a killing as an exotic dancer, but Sasuke doubted the other man would actually do it. People who talked about exclusivity clauses, generally didn't become strippers. It didn't matter that Itachi definitely had the body for it.

"Right. Well those would seem to be the big ones. Well other than him having a boyfriend. He doesn't, does he?" Naruto asks nervously.

The blonde knew Sasuke. He would never steal another man's boyfriend, but there was a chance that Sasuke might be into someone who was taken. That would explain his moral dilemma.

"No. He doesn't have a boyfriend. Nevermind. Let's just forget that we ever had this conversation. You already gave me your advice. How about I get you another bowl of ramen?" Sasuke suggests.

"Well I'm never going to say no to another bowl of ramen. You are going to tell me though. You can't just tease me like that. Come on, Sasuke. We're friends. We've always had each other's backs. Whatever it is, you can tell me." Naruto says.

Sasuke sighs at the way that Naruto's blue eyes were shining with sincerity. He knew that his friend meant that. The blonde had never lied to him before, but this was different. Sasuke had never lusted after his own brother before. There was no telling how Naruto would react, once he knew the truth.

"Naruto, you're my best friend. I would take a bullet for you and I know that you would do the same for me. This is different though. This is going to take me some time to process. I'm just not ready. Maybe later." Sasuke pleads with him.

"Alright. Alright. I got you. You can tell me later then, but you ARE going to tell me. You aren't getting out of this one, bastard! Believe it!" Naruto replies.

People tended to think that Naruto was a lovable dumb blonde and that was true to a certain extent, but Sasuke knew better. Sasuke knew that when it came to his friends, the other man could be very perceptive. That was usually a useful ability that Sasuke appreciated, but now it just made things awkward.

His best friend knew that he had a secret. Naruto probably wasn't going to give up until he found out the truth. That thought terrified Sasuke. He didn't want to lose his best friend.

"Thanks. I mean it." Sasuke says with a smile.

"Anytime, bastard. It's the least I can do. You did just buy me half a dozen bowls of ramen." Naruto beams and Sasuke sighs as he reaches into his wallet and pays for Naruto's meal.

That would teach him. Sasuke really should have known better than to treat Naruto to ramen. The only way that he could treat his friend to ramen regularly would be to become Izuna's assistant.

Some days, the youngest Uchiha couldn't help but wonder where Naruto put it all. Damn that had to be one fast metabolism. It was almost unbelievable really.

Elsewhere Tobriama sighs. He couldn't get the encounter with Izuna out of his head. It just wasn't fair.

"How can one kiss melt away all the years that we spent apart?" He mutters to himself.

How could he have been so stupid?! Izuna even said it himself. He had only gotten to know him originally to take the heat off of the Sharingan Dragons. Did the fact that Izuna eventually fell in love with him, make up for that?

Despite everything, the white haired man believed the Uchiha when he said that. He believed Izuna when he said that he loved him. God, what was wrong with him? How could he be so stupid and so easily manipulated?

"That's a good line, Chief. Hot date tonight?" One of his fellow officers asks.

Tobirama groans. One encounter with Izuna and he was talking to himself like a crazy person. Maybe he was crazy.

"Maybe. I gave my number to someone. I don't think that they are going to call back though." He says.

"Oh well I'm sure they'll call back. You might be old, but you're still in good shape." He offers.

Tobirama twitches. Oh that was just what he needed. He needed to be called old, like he needed a hole in his head.

It was just a reminder of how much time had passed him by. Maybe he should have taken Izuna's offer. Maybe he should have become a Dragon. They might still be together then. What had being a cop ever gotten him?

Sure, he was proud of his work. That didn't change the fact that he slept alone every night. Naturally, he knew that if he wanted to, he could have changed that. It was just that no one could compare to Izuna.

Oh he had TRIED. He had had a few flings here and there. After all, forty fucking years was a long time and a man had needs! It was just none of them could ever compare to his Dragon.

"You want to say that again? I might be a dinosaur, but I assure you that I'm a T-Rex and my jaws still work just fine." He warns the other man.

"It was a compliment!" The other cop protests.

"A rather backhanded one! Just go. Today isn't my day and I don't want to take it out on you." He mutters.

His subordinate wisely decides not to push his luck. Tobirama sighs as he saw the other man practically run off. Wonderful. Now he was scaring his fellow officers. Damn Izuna.

Tobirama mentally chastises himself for that thought. Izuna might not see it, but this was still Madara's fault. He highly doubted that his angel would have become a dragon, if it wasn't for Madara Uchiha. Oh how he HATED that man!

Meanwhile Sasuke sighs as he heads back to Amatersau. He needed to talk to Itachi. Maybe Naruto was right. Maybe he should go for it.

"Oh come on, you stupid thing! Let me in!" He growls at the gate.

That was when Madara came out and shook his head in amusement. Poor Sasuke. They really did need to add his prints to the database.

"It's alright. I'll scan you in." He says as he does exactly that.

"Thanks, Uncle Madara." Sasuke says with a smile and the other man nods as he heads off to his convertible.

Sasuke wasn't really sure what Madara did all day, but he knew that it kept him busy. He still couldn't believe how active Izuna and Madara were. If he was as rich as them and their age, he would have retired by now.

He shoves these musings to the side and heads insnide. Sasuke now only had one thought on his mind. Itachi. He had to find Itachi.

"Sasuke, you're back. How did your lunch go?" Itachi inquires as he strides towards the younger man.

"Pretty good. I got some good advice. Can we talk? In my room or yours maybe." Sasuke asks.

"Of course. What kind of brother would I be, if I refused your request for companionship?" Itachi inquires slyly as he leads Sasuke to his room.

Sasuke walks off with Itachi and then waits inside his room. He couldn't believe this. He couldn't believe he was actually going to consent to this. It was so wrong.

On the other hand, he had seen his father and mother. They both clearly loved each other, but weren't together because of moral dilemmas. His mother loved him and he knew that, but she was never the same after the divorce. There was just something _sad_ about Mikoto Uchiha. Sasuke didn't want to end up that way.

"Alright. I locked the door. Go ahead. What do you want to talk about?" Itachi asks.

"Us. Naruto was right. Don't worry. I was vague. I didn't tell him your name or even confirm that you were the guy that I met at the club." He says.

"And what was Naruto right about as it pertains to our relationship?" Itachi asks suspiciously.

He wasn't entirely certain what the blonde had said. Itachi knew that his brother was close to the other man. Whatever Naruto said was likely to have a big impact on Sasuke. The older Uchiha could only hope that somehow it had been in his favor.

"Basically, he said that as long as it isn't hurting anyone, it doesn't really matter what other people think. I came out while we were still in school and didn't give a fuck what anyone thought about it. So I shouldn't hesitate to be with someone who makes me happy." Sasuke says quickly.

Itachi blinks. Was Sasuke saying what he thought he was saying? That was too good to be true. He had expected at least another month of half-hearted protests.

"Are you saying that you want to be with me?" He asks.

"I want to be with you. I know that this isn't a good idea, but Naruto's right. If we aren't hurting anyone, it shouldn't matter. We just can't let mother or father find out. They'd be devastated." Sasuke insists.

"Don't be foolish, Sasuke. They aren't going to find out." Itachi promises him as he wraps his arms around the other man.

That was better. He was still shocked that Sasuke had suddenly given in like that, but he wasn't going to complain. He certainly wasn't going to give the raven haired man a reason to regret his decision.

"Good. This is still sick for the record." The younger Uchiha mutters.

"Whatever makes you feel better. It might be wrong in society's eyes, but you can't deny that you fit so well inside my embrace. Now, about that exclusivity clause." Itachi says with a smirk.

Sasuke glances up at Itachi. He couldn't possibly be serious, could he? Did he really think that he was going to run around on him? When he was already risking everything just to enjoy the comfort that the other man's embrace brought him.

"You can't be serious. Do you really think that I'd cheat on you?" Sasuke demands.

"No. I don't think that you'd cheat on me. I do know that you happen to be a beautiful man though. I know that our relationship isn't going to be a public one. So I will not be able to fully dissuade anyone who is foolish enough to unwittingly attempt to steal you from me. You'll have to be rather firm in your rejections." He explains as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

The raven haired man looks up at Itachi stunned. Really? THAT'S what Itachi was worried about? He was worried that he wouldn't be able to properly play the role of a jealous boyfriend?

"You are so weird sometimes. You aren't worried that I'll cheat, but you are worried that guys will hit on me." He observes.

"Mmm unlike you, I have never tried to pretend to be normal. I'll admit that I am a very possessive lover, but I do like to think that I give more than I demand." Itachi says.

"Oh you demand things, huh?" Sasuke says.

Itachi nods his head in agreement. The very thought of someone even looking at Sasuke made his blood boil with rage. The most frustrating thing about the situation was that they had to hide their feelings for each other. If someone hit on Sasuke, the most he could do was assume the role of an overprotective brother. Maddening.

"That's right. Father calls mother his kitten. You certainly take after mother. You very much remind me of one. So sweet, innocent, and adorable. You clearly are in need of my love and protection." He says.

"Protection?! I can punch at ANBU Level and I'll be Kage Level in no time! I'm not weak!" Sasuke protests.

"Your body isn't weak. Far from it, it's your tender heart that I worry about." Itachi tells him as he places a few soft kisses along his brother's neck and smirks when he felt Sasuke melt into his arms.

Itachi adored everything about his little brother, but he really delighted in how sensitive the other man was. A few kisses to his neck and he was gone. It was incredible really.

"Mmm. My tender heart will be just fine, as long as we keep this a secret. I mean it, Itachi." He says firmly.

"We'll keep this a secret. As long as you're mine, I can live with the rest of the world not knowing that. Now why don't you go lay on the bed? Lay on your stomach." Itachi instructs.

"Why?" Sasuke asks a little warily.

Itachi was gorgeous. His kisses were amazing and Sasuke had just agreed to be his secret boyfriend. Despite that, he wasn't entirely certain that he was ready to become lovers yet.

"Relax. I wouldn't sleep with you on the first date. It's tempting, but I know that a little anticipation goes a long way. I just want to help you relax. I was thinking a sensual massage would do wonders." He says.

"What are you planning on massaging, exactly?" Sasuke asks suspiciously.

"I wasn't thinking of massaging THAT. But if you are willing, I would never deny you such a request." Itachi replies with a smirk.

Sasuke shakes his head. He mutters something about perverts and lays on his belly. He couldn't believe that he was doing that.

"Such a wonderfully obedient submissive you are." He muses.

"Oh fuck you. I'm not a submissive!" Sasuke grumbles.

"You are a rather sassy one, but you are. I can tell by respond to me. You're in denial." Itachi informs him as he begins the massage.

Just like that, Sasuke's mind turned to goo. The feeling of Itachi's powerful hands, massaging all the tension away was just too good to resist. He lost that war, before it was even begun.

"Nhhh. F-eels good." He murmurs.

"Mmm that's better. Foolish little brother, when are you going to learn just to agree with me? Things will be much easier for you, once you do." Itachi says as he bestows a few soft kisses to Sasuke's shoulder.

"Whatever. Just don't stop." Sasuke mutters as he felt his body begin to relax completely and it was all thanks to his brother's wonderfully seductive touches.


	12. Chapter 12

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope that you enjoy all enjoy this chapter. Oh and for those of you who enjoy Mikoto x Fugaku, I gave them their own story. It's called _**Her Face.**_ Check it out, if you are interested.

 **Chapter Notation:** I haven't fully decided what I'm going to do with Naruto. He's in shock at the moment.

Chapter 12

Why did it have to feel so ridiculously good, Sasuke wonders to himself. Itachi's touch felt like pure bliss. Anything that felt his good, had to be wrong. Unfortunately, he was finding it rather difficult to care about right or wrong at the moment though.

"How's that feel?" Itachi purrs into his ear as he continues the massage.

Sasuke could feel the man's silky hair cascade over the back of his neck as the man moved on top of him. The sensation was incredibly erotic and a nice contrast compared to Itachi's wonderfully firm touch.

"Really good." He admits as he sighs in contentment.

Maybe Naruto was right. Maybe it didn't matter that people wouldn't approve of their relationship, if they knew the truth. They weren't actually going to hurt anyone and it felt so good.

"That's better. Tell me where it hurts." Itachi instructs.

"Nowhere. Feels good. Really good." Sasuke answers honestly.

Sasuke couldn't see it because he was laying on his stomach, but Itachi's lips twitched upwards. It was a cross between a smirk and a smile. Now, they were finally making real progress.

His foolish little brother really was too adorable for his own good. It was difficult to resist the impulse to hide him away from the rest of the world. The rest of the world shouldn't be able to touch Sasuke. As far as Itachi was concerned, Sasuke was made just for him and that was that.

"Good. Now isn't this better than being stubborn?" Itachi whispers seductively in his ear.

"Mhm." Sasuke says, too far gone to argue about why he had resisted the other man's advances for so long.

It wouldn't have been right though. The rest of the world did deserve at least a part of Sasuke. That and he doubted that Sasuke would be happy long-term as his prisoner of love. In the short-term though, Itachi was more than confident that he could have made it _**quite**_ the enjoyable experience.

"Tell me more about yourself. I've missed so much." Itachi says.

"What do you want to know?" Sasuke replies curiously.

At the moment, he probably would have agreed to tell Itachi anything. The massage felt so good. He had never been more relaxed in his life. If he had been a cat, Sasuke knew that he would have been purring with contentment by now.

"Well I suppose we should start off small. Do you have a favorite sports team?" He inquires.

Sasuke snorts at the question. It was such a normal question. That was why it was such an amusing inquiry. The younger Uchiha highly doubted that Itachi sincerely cared which sports team he liked.

"Not really. I like to play sports myself, but watching them is boring to me. That and they're way too hyped. What about you?" Sasuke replies.

"I'm of a similar opinion. Hmm. Is your favorite food still tomatoes?" Itachi asks.

"Yeah. I'm surprised you remember that. That was a long time ago." Sasuke says in surprise.

It was strange how he couldn't remember Sasuke's name, but the little things like that would still be forever burned in his memory. It didn't matter how much time had passed.

"Yes, I must admit that I'm also surprised that little detail managed to stay inside my head for all these years. That's rather fortunate though. I'll make sure that you have all the tomatoes you want. You also blush the same shade of red as them. So it's no wonder that you're so fond of tomatoes." Itachi informs him with a smirk.

"You're impossible. You really can be such an ass sometimes. You're lucky that you're hot and that you give a good back massage. Otherwise, I would have to kick your ass." Sasuke snaps at him.

"It's adorable when you try to pretend your tough. Reminds me of a kitten walking up to a dog and hissing at it. Foolish and adorably brave." The elder Uchiha observes.

"Oh that's it!" Sasuke says as he whirls around and pins Itachi underneath him.

He was not a kitten. It was one thing for their father to call their mother that, but Sasuke was not some cute domesticated animal for Itachi to play with! Hmpf!

"I don't know why you are protesting the label so much. We both know that in time, you're going to be my little sex kitten. You do purr so sweetly when I pet you just the right away." Itachi taunts him.

Sasuke could only growl in response. What else could he say or do? Sometimes, Itachi Uchiha had a way of leaving him speechless.

Meanwhile Mikoto sighs as she glances at the clock. Fugaku was the CFO. He probably worked long hours. There was a good chance that he might still be at work, if she called.

Biting her lower lip, the dark beauty decides to do exactly that. He had made her an offer and he did deserve some sort of answer. Despite that, the mother of two wasn't sure what kind of answer she would give him. That was assuming he even picked up to begin with.

"Hello. I would like to speak with Fugaku Uchiha, please." She says into the phone.

"Of course. Well Mr. Uchiha is a very busy man. May I ask who is calling and what is the nature of your call? Is he expecting your call?" Another woman's voice asks.

Mikoto assumed she was likely Fugaku's secretary. She couldn't help but feel a bit jealous at that knowledge.

She mentally slaps herself for such thoughts. Despite his love of secrecy, Fugaku had never given her cause to worry about him being unfaithful and he certainly wasn't the type to sleep with an employee.

"He might be expecting my call. Tell him that it's Itachi's mother." She says simply.

There was something gratifying about the way the other woman instantly became silent. She might or might not know who Sasuke was, but Mikoto was damn sure she knew about Itachi. It was also likely that she was aware of the divorce to a certain degree.

"Well I'll um let him know that you are calling. Please hold. I'll transfer the call to his main line." The secretary replies.

"Thank you. Yes, I'll hold." Mikoto says as she waits.

It didn't take long for the secretary to do as she promised. Well if nothing else, she knew that Fugaku was a loving father, a fantastic lover, and he only hired the best. The woman was clearly good at her job.

"Mikoto?" He asks in a stunned voice.

"Yes, it's me. I hope that you don't mind me calling you at work. It's just that I figured you'd be there and that it'd be less likely that one of your meddling uncles would overhear us." She half apologizes.

Fugaku felt his lips twitch upwards at that comment. Mikoto obviously had forgotten what Madara and Izuna Uchiha were like. If she thought a little precaution like calling him at his office was going to stop them from meddling, well she didn't know them very well. The two elder Uchihas lived to meddle. It was their favorite hobby really.

"You wish that it was that simple to keep them from getting involved. I told Izuna about what I offered to you. Naturally, I expect he will have already informed Madara about the matter." Fugaku says briskly.

Mikoto shivers. That wasn't good. Madara would likely be out for blood. Izuna was harder to read though. He certainly presented himself as a charming gentleman, but she also knew that he was capable of unspeakable things. He wouldn't be part of the Sharingan Dragons, if he wasn't.

"How did Izuna take the news?" She whispers.

"He says that he would miss my professional talents, but that he wants me to be happy. While I'm certain that Madara would put up more of a protest, I'm a grown man. In the end, they would respect MY decision. That is what it would be. MY decision, not theirs." Fugaku explains.

"Well that's good to know." She says with a sigh of relief.

She supposed that she should count her blessings. It looked like a gang wasn't going to be coming after her. That was something. Maybe they would all get out of this strange situation alive and in one piece.

"I imagine so. As you were saying, Kitten?" He inquires gently.

"I would like to speak with Sasuke and Itachi about the matter first. Our decision doesn't just affect us. It also affects our sons. I haven't seen Itachi in so long until recently. I wouldn't blame him, if he despised me. That doesn't seem to be the case. I do owe it to him to tell him the truth though. I'm just not sure what the truth about us is. When I figure it out, I will tell him though." The dark beauty stammers quickly.

"Itachi doesn't hate you. I promise you that much. That and Kitten, you're babbling. Sasuke seems to have inherited your nervous babbling though. It's a rather cute trait." He muses.

Mikoto mutters some rather unflattering things under her breath. Sadly, Fugaku heard them. The man had always had good hearing.

"Are you done calling me every name under the Sun now?" He asks in amusement.

"No. I was going to move onto calling you every name under the Moon as well. I do like to be thorough." The mother of two huffs.

"Yes, you are very thorough. I'll talk to Itachi and see about arranging a more private meeting for the two of you. You already know how to get into contract with Sasuke easily. I do appreciate you letting me know that you wanted to speak with him. You didn't have to do that." Fugaku says.

Mikoto sighs. Whatever else was going on between them, Fugaku was still Itachi's father. He was still Sasuke's father. He had a right to know what she was doing with the their boys, now that they were in the same city.

"You deserve at least that much. I'll speak to you soon. Be careful though. Tobirama is still lurking around out there. That man is relentless." She warns him.

"Oh believe me, I know. He has good reason to be. It's a long story. I'll see you soon, Kitten. Try not to worry yourself too death." He says.

"Try not to get thrown in jail and I'll see what I can do about avoiding more worry wrinkles." Mikoto retorts.

Fugaku shakes his head. He couldn't believe that his Kitten was actually worried about such a thing. He had reacquainted himself very thoroughly with her body the other night. She didn't have a single wrinkle on her.

"You don't have any wrinkles. Just call me at the office, whenever you need me. It's the easiest way to get in touch." He says.

"You're such a liar. I do so have wrinkles and alright. Goodbye." She whispers as she hangs up.

She felt even more uncertain about what she was going to do than when she had first called him. Mikoto curses herself. Despite the fact that they hadn't been together for a decade, her first impulse was to run to him when she was worried about something. She had fallen too easily into that old pattern.

It was all too easy to just let Fugaku play the role of her Knight and fall into her Princess Role. He did seem to enjoy such an arrangement and she still did. Unfortunately, she knew that he wasn't her Dragon Slayer. He was the dragon.

Later that day, Fugaku finds Itachi and Sasuke in there room. He raises an eyebrow when he realizes that Sasuke was sleeping on Itachi's bed and Itachi was watching him sleep.

"The man is twenty-three years old. Did he rush into your room because he had a nightmare, like he used to when you were children?" He asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Something like that. This is all rather stressful for Sasuke. He is worried about mother and his place in the Dragons. It's only natural that he would seek out comfort." Itachi replies smoothly.

He loved his father. Itachi loved Fugaku dearly, but he wasn't going to allow the other man to take Sasuke away from him.

He had made a promise. Itachi wasn't going to allow their parents to find out about their relationship. The economist had always made it a point to honor his word and this time would be no exception.

"I suppose that's true. Well he looks rather comfortable. I don't have the heart to wake him. Your mother called." Fugaku whispers.

Itachi blinks. He wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing. He did want to reconnect with Mikoto, but he also knew she was another variable his relationship with the innocent beauty sleeping in his bed. To say he was conflicted, would be an understatement.

"How did that go?" He asks cautiously.

"Mikoto would like to meet with you in private. I made her an offer. I said that I would stop being a Dragon and any involvement in Sharingan Corp, if she would take me back." His father informs him.

That stunned Itachi to his core. Fugaku loved being a Dragon. It was in his blood. For him to even consider such a thing, spoke volumes.

"And do you think she'll take that offer?" The younger Uchiha inquires warily.

"I don't know. She's thinking about it though and that's a good sign." He answers.

Itachi nods. The fact that Mikoto hadn't outright rejected the offer meant that she wanted to take it. She just wasn't sure if she should. Sasuke really did take after his mother. It was a bit unnerving how similar the two of them were.

"I'll meet with her and try to plead your case. I know that you still love her and I do as well. Do you really think that you could do that though? Could you really give up being a Dragon?" Itachi whispers.

"For her, I could. The only people that I would ever consider doing such a thing for are your mother and the two of you. If that's what she needs to reconcile, then so be it." He says.

Itachi sighs and nods. He wanted so badly to wake Sasuke and tell him where he was going. That would be cruel though.

"I'll return her call then. Will you stay with Sasuke? He might worry, if he wakes up and doesn't see me." Itachi asks.

"Of course, I'll stay with him. Go do, what you need to do." He says.

The younger Uchiha nods his head gratefully, as he heads off. He really did need to speak to Mikoto. Perhaps there was a way for them all to get their Happily Ever After. He had to try.

Elsewhere Naruto frowns as he was doing an Internet search. He was looking into the Sharingan Corporation. That's when he came across a list of employees. Prominent ones.

There were some very detailed profiles. It listed their name, age, where they lived, their job title, education, and included a photo. That's when he saw Itachi. Itachi as in Sasuke's elder brother and judging by the picture, the man who Sasuke had been admiring at the club. Shit!

"This is so not good." Naruto groans as he smacks his forehead.

That explained everything. This explained why Sasuke hadn't wanted to give Naruto a name. He couldn't have given a name. His best friend was into his brother and his brother was into him back.

"This won't end well. Itachi's probably fucked with his head or something. Sasuke isn't this crazy. If they didn't recognize each other, that's one thing. Now things are different though. I can't believe this!" The blonde exclaims.

He had unknowingly given his friend some very bad advice. Maybe it wasn't the end of the world though. Sasuke had really been wavering. There was still a chance that he could talk some sense into him.

"I better go find him. This won't end well. Damn it! Sasuke, what the Hell did you get yourself into this time?" He mutters to himself as he quickly heads out of his apartment and towards Madara's Estate.

Well one of Madara's Estates anyway. Naruto knew enough about Sharingan Corp. to realize Sasuke's family was loaded. Mikoto had been more than comfortable, but she and Sasuke had been paupers compared to the rest of his family.

"I really hope that I'm not too late." The blonde says to himself.

Meanwhile Itachi was on the phone with Mikoto. It was the first time that he had actually spoken to her alone in a decade. That fact wasn't lost on him.

"So where and when would you like to meet?" He inquires.

It was only years of training in both business and crime that kept his voice steady. He loved Sasuke most, but he had missed his mother. He supposed in some ways, he would always be that little boy who had sought his parents' approval.

"Whenever is good for you. I'm free now. How does the park sound?" Mikoto asks cautiously.

Itachi was pretty damn sure that the woman thought he was going to tear her head off. That wasn't the case. Well at least he hoped that it wouldn't be. Still he couldn't blame her for being wary. This was a rather momentous occasion and a thousand things could go wrong.

"That's agreeable. I'll be there in ten minutes. I'll meet you by the swings." He informs her.

"Alright. I'll be there." Mikoto says and just like that, she hung up and Itachi heads out the door.

Was it possible that there family would be reunited after all these years? He knew that anything was technically possible, but how likely was it? Could he really have Sasuke and his parents in his life?

He didn't know, but Itachi knew that he was going to find out. One way or another, he was going to find out. With that thought in mind, the smoky eyed man drives to the park.

"Itachi!" He hears a feminine voice call out a few minutes later.

The economist couldn't help but smile. Mikoto had always been a punctual woman. It seemed that time hadn't changed that fact.

"Mother." The younger Uchiha greets her as he walks over to the dark beauty.

"It's so good to see you. Thank you, for agreeing to meet with me so quickly." Mikoto says as she caresses his cheek.

It was hard to believe that this really was Itachi. The image of him that she had in her mind was that of a high school senior. Now he was a grown man. There was no possible way that anyone could mistake him for a child.

"Of course. You're right. Well I suppose we should get started. Father told me that he made you an offer." He murmurs.

Itachi Uchiha didn't like beating around the bush. He was a firm believer that it was better just to cut to the chase. Things were less painful that way. If you picked at a scab, it wouldn't end well.

"I see that you aren't the type to ease into things." She muses.

"Not particularly. I'm glad that the two of you were able to have a civilized conversation though." Itachi says.

A civilized conversation. Well Mikoto supposed that was one way to put it. Though she didn't think it was that civilized. Conversation was probably technically accurate. There had been SOME words involved. The fact that most of them could have made a sailor blush was irrelevant.

"Yes, you could say that. Well I won't insult your intelligence by stalling further. What would you think if your father and I were to reconcile?" She asks warily.

"I think that's been my hope since I was a high school student. I'm certain that Sasuke feels the same way. If you doubt his sincerity about his offer, I can assure you that he meant it." Itachi says.

Mikoto bites her lower lip as she considers what Itachi said. If she wanted an excuse to say no, Itachi wasn't going to give her one. He was supportive of a reconciliation and believed that Sasuke likely was as well. She wasn't sure whether feel relieved by that or not.

"He's never lied to me before. He's kept secrets, but he's never actually lied to me before. Well he did lie about my not having wrinkles. Perhaps I should say that he has never lied to me about anything important." She muses.

"Mother, you don't have any wrinkles." Itachi points out.

"You're a kind liar as well. That seems to be partially genetic. Interesting. Well I don't know what to say further on this matter." She admits.

Itachi sighs. He wraps his arms around Mikoto and embraces her. He had missed his mother and it was rather obvious that this entire experience was tremendously difficult for her.

"You don't need to discuss that matter further at the moment then. Come. It's been far too long. We have much to catch up on." He says with a smile.

"Yes, we do." Mikoto says with a sweet smile.

That smile made Itachi's heart ache. He understood her reasoning. That didn't make her abandoning him any less painful. It was going to be difficult for him to ever trust her fully again, but he was going to try.

Of course, he wasn't an idiot. He knew that he couldn't tell her anything about the Sharingan Dragons or even Sharingan Corp. He was hopeful, but not foolish.

Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched. Tobirama watches them from behind the slide. He couldn't believe this. After not speaking to each other for a decade, the mother and son were embracing.

He didn't know how to feel about that. Was Itachi dragging Mikoto into a life or crime or was she trying to save him? If it was the latter, he should stay out of the way. He certainly couldn't standby and let him corrupt her though, if it turned out to be the former.

Sadly, he was going to need to collect more information. He didn't have enough to go on to make an informed decision. The white haired man had learned the hard way that such things were vital.

"If only I had known the truth about Izuna beforehand, I would have sent him to jail long before I got too attached." He whispers.

He was now far closer to his twilight years than he would care to admit. That didn't necessarily mean that it was too late though. Izuna clearly still loved him.

Tobirama was many things, but a liar wasn't one of them. He didn't even believe in lying to himself. He still loved Izuna. That had to count for something. Surely, it had to count for something.

"Maybe this time, I can save the princess from the dragon. Well perhaps prince would be more accurate." He mutters to himself.

He didn't care what Izuna said. Obviously, this was all his fault. The man had always looked up to his older brother. Whatever Madara did, Izuna would follow. He used to have a similar relationship with his own brother before the man had passed on a couple years back.

"I wonder what Hashirama would think of me now." He whispers.

He loved his brother. Deep down, Tobirama knew the truth though. It didn't matter what Hashirama would have said, he was going to try to save the prince from the dragon anyway.


	13. Chapter 13

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. Sorry that this one is late. The holidays and some other stuff slowed down my update rate. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 13

"Brother, why is there a very loud blonde screaming at our gates?" Madara asks Izuna in amusement.

"I haven't the faintest idea. I suppose we should go and see what he wants. Make sure to bring your gun. He might simply be lost or it might be a clever trap by a rival gang." Izuna replies as the two brothers make certain their guns are fully loaded and they head outside.

Naruto blinks. There were two men. One looked like the spitting image of Sasuke, only he was older. Much older. The other sorta looked like Sasuke, but he had a mane of wild hair that reminded Naruto of a lion. These must be Sasuke's long lost relatives.

"Who are you and why are you screaming like a madman outside of our home?" Madara asks.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki! Is Sasuke staying here? Sasuke Uchiha? He's my friend. I have to talk to him about something really important!" He exclaims.

Izuna tilts his head to the side as he considers Naruto's request. Once Sasuke came back into their lives, he had done a thorough probe of his youngest great nephew's background. According to various records, Naruto was Sasuke's roommate. He was no threat.

"Yes, he's staying here. Follow us. We'll scan you in. I wouldn't recommend trying to enter without your prints being in the system or one of us to help you. Oh that reminds me, Madara? We still need to get Sasuke added to the system." Izuna says thoughtfully.

"That's true. It's just that so much has happened, it keeps slipping my mind. Well follow us. I'm sure that Sasuke will be glad to see you. I'm Madara Uchiha and that's my brother, Izuna." He states as the two of them scan Naruto and they head inside the estate.

Naruto follows them warily. He never seen a place like this before. It was so huge. It wasn't a home. This was a palace.

"I'm glad that I have you two to show me around. I'd get lost in this place, if it wasn't for you guys." The blonde exclaims brightly.

"Yes, I suppose our home is rather large." Izuna muses as he leads him down the hall.

A few minutes later, the elder Uchiha knocks on the door of one of the rooms. There was no response. Izuna sighs and knocks again.

"I think he's asleep. I'll wake him. SASUKE, YOUR FRIEND IS HERE TO SEE YOU!" Madara bellows and Naruto blinks.

Not only did he have the mane of a lion, he had the roar of one. Wow. Sasuke's great uncles sure were quite a pair of characters, he thinks to himself.

A few seconds later, a very grumpy Sasuke emerges with Fugaku. Fugaku had been lost in thought and hadn't heard the knock on the door at first. No one could block out Madara's bellow though.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asks in confusion, upon seeing him with his father.

"Hey, loser. This is my father and I guess you already met my great uncles." The raven haired man says as he yawns and tries to wake up.

He had been in the middle of a nice sleep, when everyone decided to wake him up. That was a bit annoying really. Though he really did need to talk to Naruto about everything. So maybe it was a good thing that the blonde had come.

"Yeah. Um hi. Mr. Uchiha. Well Mr. Uchihas." The blue eyed college students replies awkwardly.

"It's alright. You may just address us by our first names. I'm Fugaku." Sasuke's father says.

"Right. Well nice to meet you, Fugaku." The blonde says, feeling slightly more comfortable at that.

From what little Sasuke had told him about Fugaku, the man was very much a traditional business type. He hadn't expected him to be cool with being addressed by his first name.

That was something of an unexpected, but welcomed surprise. Naruto had never really been good at the whole formal thing. It just wasn't in his nature to be prim and proper.

"Well I imagine the two of you have a lot to discuss. We'll leave you to it. Oh and Sasuke, your brother left to visit your mother. He'll likely be back shortly." Fugaku informs him.

"Oh. Right. Thanks." Sasuke says in a stunned voice as he watches his relatives walk off.

"Your mom is visiting Itachi?!" Naruto says in a stunned voice.

"It looks like it. I really think that they are trying to patch things up. I can't believe it, but I think my parents might actually be getting back together as well." Sasuke says happily.

Naruto sighs. He really didn't want to rain on his friend's parade. Sasuke looked so happy, but he knew that he had to. He couldn't allow this to go on and not say anything. Dating your brother was just wrong.

"That's great news, Sasuke! I'm really happy for you." Naruto says and Sasuke smiles as he lets the blonde into his room.

"Yeah. It is. Madera's a bit eccentric to put it mildly, but he's great. Izuna's really smart. I'm starting to get to know my father again and of course there's Itachi." The raven haired man says.

 _"And of course, there's Itachi."_ Those rocked Naruto to his core. He knew that Sasuke knew who Itachi was. That was why he had been so vague when he asked him for advice, but that fact hadn't really sunk in yet. Those words somehow made this bizarre situation more real.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I was doing some research on Sharingan Corp. Itachi Uchiha is one of their top economists. Sasuke, you're dating your brother." He says.

Sasuke winces. Damn it. He didn't want Naruto to know about his relationship with the other Uchiha.

The blonde was innocent. He had nothing to do with this strange new world. How could he possibly ever hope to explain to his friend about Itachi?

"I know. I didn't know who he was that night, but I know now." Sasuke whispers.

Admitting was a good first step, Naruto decides. On some level, his friend realized this was wrong. That was a good sign. There was a chance that they could fix this before things spiraled out of control.

"Things would have been a lot easier, if he was just a stripper. Sasuke, I know that it's your life. You should do what makes you happy, but this isn't healthy. You know that, right?" The blonde demands.

Sasuke sighs and bites his lower lip. The other man wasn't saying anything that he hadn't thought a thousand times. Sasuke had tried. He had tried really hard to do the "right thing," but he couldn't.

"Yeah. That would have been easier. Unfortunately, this is the hand that I was dealt. Naruto, please don't tell anyone. I didn't know. Neither of us knew at the club." Sasuke pleads with him.

"I believe you. You hadn't seen him in ten years. It's only natural that you wouldn't recognize him and vice versa. I'm not going to tell anyone, Sasuke. I wouldn't do that to you. You're my best friend. I'm not going to ruin your life." His roommate says.

Thank goodness. Naruto wasn't going to rat them out. Sasuke felt as though the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. Maybe this wouldn't end in disaster, after all.

"Thank you." He whispers.

"Don't thank me. I wouldn't ruin your life, but he will. I don't know Itachi. He might be a decent guy. I can understand why the two of you would be confused. It's hard to think of him as your brother because you haven't seen each other in years, but he is your brother. This is wrong, Sasuke. It's sick!" Naruto exclaims.

He knew that the blonde was right. It was wrong. It was sick, but he couldn't help it. Sasuke was in love, but he was in love with the wrong person.

"You don't think that I know that? Naruto, I know that it's wrong, but love doesn't care about what's proper. It isn't logical. It just is!" He snaps at him.

The raven haired youth knew that he was being ridiculous. The blue eyed college student was just trying to help him. He was doing what any good friend would do in a situation like this. Naruto was just trying to get Sasuke out of a potentially disastrous situation.

That was why he was trying to cool his temper. Naruto was actually being the smart one and that did amuse him to a certain degree. Normally, it was Naruto who rushed in without thinking about the potential consequences. Sasuke had always been the more cautious person between the two of them. Now their roles had done a complete 180.

"Sasuke, I think you're confused. You're SUPPOSED to love your brother. That's normal, but you aren't supposed to love him like this!" He growls at him.

"I know, but being normal is vastly overrated." The Uchiha retorts, echoing his brother's earlier words.

"I'm not going to tell anyone, but you need to break up with him. This isn't healthy. I don't know. I think he's fucking with your head or something. I can't imagine that this twisted relationship was solely your idea. Think about it and give me a call later." Naruto says.

He wanted to save Sasuke. Naruto desperately wanted to get his friend out of a really dangerous situation. Sadly, it was up to his friend whether or not he wanted to be saved.

"I'll give you a call. Naruto, I don't want whatever this is to come between us. You're my best friend." Sasuke whispers.

Naruto knew that if he pushed, he was likely only going to make things worse. If he and Sasuke had a fallen out, that would likely send him running straight back into Itachi's arms and the blonde didn't want that to happen.

So he had do something that he normally didn't. Naruto had to exercise restraint. If he didn't, he might end up losing his best friend. That was just something that the blonde couldn't allow to happen.

"And you're my best friend. I wouldn't be a very good friend though, if I didn't tell you that this is a good idea. I'll see you later." The blonde says and with that, he heads off.

Sasuke sighs. How did things come to this? Now he was in love with his brother and his best friend knew about it. Sooner or later, there was a very real chance that he was going to be forced to choose. A normal life or a life with Itachi?

Meanwhile Tobirama paces. He had to figure out what to do about Izuna. Was there a way to save him and possibly at least some of his family members? Sasuke and Mikoto were likely still innocent. They could be spared from prosecution.

"I have to at least try." He whispers as he finishes addressing the envelope.

There was a note and some mistletoe inside it. He smiles that knowledge. It brought back memories of a far more pleasant time. A time when he had actually been happy.

 _"They're such showoffs." Hashirama noted with amusement to Tobirama as the brothers walked inside._

 _"Indeed. They're smart showoffs though. This a great way to generate goodwill with the community." The white haired man replied as he looked around._

 _It was Christmas. The entire estate was decorated as such. The inside was almost like a forest, filled with Christmas trees. The carpets were now designed to look like ice and freshly fallen snow. Fake snow even poured down from the ceiling. Tobirama suspected there where several bags hidden away somewhere and the fans were circulating it._

 _Truly, it was a winter wonderland. Colorful tinsel and Christmas lights were draped everywhere. The scent of gingerbread and Christmas cookies hung heavily in the air. There were even Christmas Carols playing in the background._

 _"Ah there you are. It's wonderful to see the both of you." Madara said as he approached the two of them and offered them champagne glasses._

 _"Likewise." Hashirama said and Tobirama nodded his head in agreement as he took the champagne glass._

 _He had never cared for Madara Uchiha. There was just something very untrustworthy about him. He was nothing like his brother. Speaking of Izuna, Tobirama almost forgot how to breathe when the other man approached him._

 _He was wearing a pristine white business suit. It flattered his dark hair, exotic eyes, and lithe muscular frame rather nicely. Then again, this was Izuna Uchiha. He could make a potato sack look nice, if he wanted to._

 _"I'm so glad that the two of you could make it. Tobirama, would you like to dance with me? I'm sure it would greatly amuse the women in attendance." He said with a sly smile._

 _It was a charity event. Policemen, firemen, and hospital workers got in free. Everyone else had to pay for a ticket and the proceeds went to benefit those organizations. It was quite the clever P.R. stunt really._

 _Clearly, it had been Izuna's idea. Tobirama highly doubted that Madara Uchiha gave a damn about the police, firefighters, and hospital staff. He smiled as he took Izuna's hand though._

 _"I'd love to." He said and followed him to the dance floor._

 _In those days, one just simply wasn't OUT. Most people didn't know gay people existed and the ones that did, generally didn't have a favorable opinion. Izuna was clever though. He had found a suitable excuse for them to dance together. Amusing the women._

 _The two of them danced for hours. Tobirama lost count of how many Christmas Carols played in the background. It didn't matter. He was far too enchanted by the Christmas Angel who was dancing with him. Said angel had trick up his sleeve though._

 _"Oh look, mistletoe." Izuna said later, once they had somehow danced into a more secluded corner of the party._

 _"You say that as though it was an accident." Tobirama observed with no small amount of mirth._

 _"Alright. I plead guilty. You're worth ending up on the Naughty List though." Izuna said as he kissed him._

Decades later, he still remembered their first kiss. He was sure that Izuna would remember the mistletoe as well. Now, he just had to hope that his plan would actually work.

A few hours later, Itachi returns to Amaterasu. He immediately goes to find Sasuke and sighs when he found his brother brooding. It didn't take a genius to realize what was on his mind.

"Sasuke, don't do this. Don't torture yourself. I already promised you that our parents were going to find out." Itachi says as he sits on the bed next to the beautiful man and caresses his cheek.

"Mother and father don't know, but Naruto does. He saw us at the club that night. He was looking up Sharingan Corp. He found your picture and last name. He knows, Itachi. He knows." He whispers.

Itachi blinks. Well that was another matter altogether. If Naruto knew, he might tell. If he told, things would get ugly and quickly. He couldn't allow that to happen.

"I'll speak with him. Where can I find Naruto?" He demands.

"I already talked to him. Naruto said that he wouldn't tell anyone. I believe him. He's been my best friend for years. He's never lied to me. We can trust him." The other Uchiha says.

Itachi frowns. He wasn't entirely certain that he wanted to trust Naruto. He barely knew the man, but he trusted Sasuke's judgment. If his adorable kitten said that Naruto was trustworthy, he was.

"Then what are you upset about? Oh and don't bother to deny that you're upset. You're a horrible liar." Itachi informs him.

"He doesn't approve." Sasuke says with a sigh.

"That's only natural. He's just as chained by society as you are. I'd be shocked, if he did approve. That doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is how we feel about each other." Itachi says as he brushes his lips against Sasuke's.

Sasuke wished that he didn't feel the way he did about Itachi. He wished that the other man wasn't his brother. He had so many wishes, but that felt too good to resist. He found himself returning Itachi's promise of a kiss.

Itachi smiles and deepens it. It didn't take him long to have Sasuke on his back. He smirks at the knowledge that he had the gorgeous Uchiha in his bed and all to himself. Life was good.

"I'll take your mind off him and everything else, if you like." He promises as he leaves a trail of kisses along Sasuke's throat.

"I'd like that." Sasuke says as he sighs in contentment and runs his fingers through Itachi's hair.

The physical chemistry was powerful. It was like they were magnets. They were just drawn to each other. The rest of the world would never understand, but maybe that didn't matter. They had each other. That might be enough.

"Just relax. Don't think. Just let yourself feel good." Itachi tells him and before Sasuke could reply, the other man had already tugged off his pants.

 **Warning Lime**

Before Sasuke even knew what was happening, Itachi had already removed his boxers and taken the tip of Sasuke's arousal into his mouth. Sasuke groans and bucks slightly against Itachi's mouth.

The feeling of hot mouth wrapped around him was driving him insane. Itachi's mouth, should have been classified as a wonder of the world. The younger Uchiha almost came right then and there.

"Itachi!" He moans in pleasure as he felt his desire burn brighter and hotter.

Itachi smirks as he slyly licks Sasuke's arousal. That's when he brushes his lips against the impressive erection in a half kiss and begins sucking harder. He wasn't nearly as innocent as Sasuke. There was something to be said for experience, he thinks to himself.

It allowed him to easily deep throat Sasuke. He delights in the rugged moans and lustful gasps that Sasuke made just for him. Even the fact that the other Uchiha was tugging on his hair, only excited Itachi more.

The slight pain was proof that Sasuke wanted this as much as he did. He might feign protests, but Itachi knew the truth. In the end, they couldn't resist the inevitable.

"Feels so good!" Sasuke sighs in pleasure and tries to resist the impulse to slam into Itachi's wonderfully hot mouth.

The things that he could do with his mouth were insane. Every light, suck, kiss, and even nip were driving him into a beautiful madness. His desire felt like fire rushing through his veins and he knew that it wouldn't be long until he tumbled over the edge.

Itachi places his hands on Sasuke's hip. It was a small gesture, but the implication was clear. He was in control.

That's when sucks Sasuke fast and hard. While doing so, he made sure to lightly graze his teeth against the sensitive flesh. Like Itachi, Sasuke apparently liked a hint of danger to go along with his pleasure.

"Itachi!" Sasuke cries out in bliss as he came hard and fast.

The Dragon smirks and kisses Sasuke. There was something incredibly alluring about watching him after he just achieved his release. He liked the way that Sasuke would pant to catch his breath, the slight rosy hue across his normally ivory pale skin, and the way that Sasuke's eyes would cloud over in pleasure. Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

Sasuke kisses back. It was so easy to melt into his brother's kisses. Disturbingly so. Itachi was just that good of a kisser.

"Did I properly distract you?" Itachi asks with a smirk, after breaking the kiss.

"Mmm more like you improperly distracted me in the most amazing way possible." Sasuke admits.

"Good. I do enjoy being properly improper with you." Itachi says with a smirk.

 **End of Lime**

Sasuke shakes his head at Itachi's antics. The fact that the other Uchiha had just turned him into his personal lollipop and he had loved it meant that this was likely the point of no return. Until now, it had been mostly kisses and dancing. This seemed deeper than that though.

"Well you're very good at it. I'll still need to talk to Naruto. Don't traumatize him! He's just being a good friend. He thinks that he's protecting me." Sasuke insists.

"I won't traumatize him. That's assuming of course that he accepts the way things are. It may take him some time, but I think he'll come around. If he doesn't, well then I'll traumatize him. No one is taking my kitten away from me." Itachi says.

"I am NOT a kitten!" Sasuke growls at him in annoyance.

Itachi smirks. He loved getting under the other man's skin. It was ridiculously easy to do so and Sasuke was truly adorable when he was angry.

"Yes, you are. You're my gorgeous sex kitten. Just accept the reality of the situation. Things will be much more enjoyable that way." Itachi informs him.

Elsewhere Fugaku's hands were shaking slightly as he placed the call to Mikoto's hotel room. He knew that she had met with Itachi. He was home now. He had seen his car pull up. That meant that Mikoto was likely back in her hotel room and she was probably alone. This was the perfect time to call.

"Hello?" Mikoto's voice says on the other side of the phone.

"Hello. How did your visit with Itachi go?" He dares himself to ask.

He didn't bother saying who he was. His Kitten would surely recognize his voice on the phone. There was no need to waste time on such formalities.

"It went better than expected. I would have thought that he would hate me for abandoning him. Instead, he pleaded your case." She admits.

That was his son. Itachi had always been a mature person. He understood the reality of their situation.

Fugaku wasn't a fool though. He knew that Itachi had been deeply hurt by Mikoto's absence in their lives, but the younger Uchiha was willing to move passed it. He was such a smart boy.

"And did his pleas fall on deaf ears?" Fugaku inquires cautiously.

"They didn't. I'm still not entirely certain that this is a good idea. You are offering me the most you can offer me in this situation. I can't expect you to single-handedly disband the group. That and I missed you. I think that I made that pathetically clear the other night." She confesses.

He felt hope well up in his chest. Mikoto did seem to be leaning towards a yes. She was still understandably cautious though.

"I missed you as well. More than you'll ever know." He tells her.

"I think that I would like to try again. Provided of course, you keep your word. I'm not an idiot. I realize that you'll likely have some loose ends to tie up before you can officially quit, but after that. I want it just to be us and our family. What Itachi chooses to do or not do is his own decision. He's a grown man now and I don't have any right to try to enforce my values on him. You're different though. You said until death do us part." She mumbles.

"I know. I did and I meant it. I still do. I can be at your room in 15 minutes, if you like." He says.

"Alright. I'll be here." Mikoto whispers and she hangs up.

She couldn't believe that she was doing this. After ten years, Mikoto was going to attempt reconciliation with her ex husband. Her ex husband who was part of an extremely dangerous criminal organization.

Mikoto must be out of her mind, but she supposed to be in love was to be at least partially crazy. She might as well embrace it.


	14. Chapter 14

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 14

A few days later, Sasuke was at work with Izuna. His Great Uncle was still showing him around Sharingan Corp. The youngest Uchiha was sure at this point that his family's business probably made more in a year than the total of some small countries' GDPs. It was incredible really.

"Wow. I can't believe this. We have a department for everything." Sasuke muses.

"Yes, we do. It can be a little difficult to keep track of. Madara is really good at that and delegation though. I think that you'll make an excellent assistant and one day, you'll have my job. That's assuming that you want it, of course." The older man says.

Sasuke bites his lower lip as he considers the offer. If he took it, he'd never have to worry about money again. It did seem like a really interesting job, but could he really do it?

He knew that Sharingan Corp. was connected to the Sharingan Dragons. The Sharingan Dragons were essentially a crime organization. While he might never throw a punch, he'd still be condoning whatever activities might be going on behind the scenes.

"I don't know. It's a great job, but I'm not sure about everything that comes with it." He mutters.

Izuna sighs and places his hand on Sasuke's shoulder. He knew that this had to be difficult for his youngest great nephew. The man hadn't been raised as a Dragon. In his eyes, their organization must have seemed evil.

"I know that it can be a lot to take in at first. I quite like being part of all this myself. I won't lie to you. There are many benefits that come with joining our organization, but sometimes those benefits come at a price." Izuna warns him.

Sasuke glances at Izuna. It was the strangest sensation. There was a very good chance that he was looking at himself in a few decades. The resemblance was uncanny.

Not only that, there was also a chance that he might actually take the older man's job. Izuna seemed rather intent on naming him, his successor. While Sasuke was flattered by this, it did make him nervous.

"Like with mother and father." Sasuke whispers.

Izuna nods in confirmation. Truly, he hated that the Dragons had unintentionally broken up a very happy marriage. It wasn't too late for Fugaku and Mikoto though. There was a chance that they might be able to reconcile.

"Yes, like them. They are hardly the first couple to fall victim to the Curse of the Dragons though." He says with a sad chuckle.

"Who did you lose?" Sasuke asks gently.

"Someone very precious with me. I suppose that's enough of a tour for today. If you are really curious, I'll tell you." Izuna says as he offers Sasuke his hand.

Sasuke nods and allows the other man to lead him off. He was curious. It sounded like his Great Uncle knew what it was like to love someone and lose them. Sasuke might be in his shoes one day. That made him feel rather sympathetic towards Izuna.

"Madara doesn't know that I still have this." He says with a smile and he opens the door to his room for Sasuke to wander inside.

"He doesn't know that you still have what?" Sasuke dares himself to ask.

Izuna just smiles sadly and places something in Sasuke's hands. The younger Uchiha blinks and looks down. It was a picture. A picture of a younger Izuna and a white haired man.

The two of them were smiling and clearly in love. So this was who Izuna had lost. Apparently, it must have been the real deal. If Izuna kept the picture hidden from Madara, it was likely for a good reason.

"He was cute." Sasuke offers cautiously, not sure what else he should say.

"He still is. Tobirama still looks rather nice in his uniform." Izuna notes in amusement.

"Wait. I thought that you said that you lost him. You know where he is?" Sasuke asks incredulously and Izuna nods.

He hands him a letter. Sasuke opens it and blinks. Inside was not only a letter, but mistletoe. Curious, he reads the letter.

 _ **Dear Izuna,**_

 _ **Seeing you again, brought back everything. I wish that I could say that time has healed all wounds, but it hasn't. I understand that we live in two different worlds and that's unlikely to change.**_

 _ **I'm hopeful though, that this time we can get it right. Perhaps our worlds can learn to coexist. I miss you. If you feel the same way, meet by the river. Friday, at midnight.**_

 _ **Love, Snow Owl.**_

"Snow owl?" Sasuke asks skeptically.

"Well his hair is white. It reminded me of a snow owl. That's why I gave him the nickname. He called me Taka. It means Hawk. Oh and sometimes he called me Angel." Izuna explains and Sasuke ohhhs.

The younger Uchiha looks at the letter. Then he looked at his Great Uncle. Finally, he looks at the letter again.

"Are you going to the river?" Sasuke asks.

"I haven't decided. I want to. I still love him. It's been decades, but real love never dies. It doesn't matter how much you wish that wasn't the case, it's the truth. He's right though. We live in different worlds." The Public Relations Specialist observes with a heavy sigh.

 _"Real love never dies. It doesn't matter how much you wish that wasn't the case. It's the truth."_ Izuna's words ring in Sasuke's head. Was it really that simple?

"Are you asking for my opinion about the matter?" The raven haired Uchiha inquires cautiously.

The last thing that Sasuke felt qualified to give at the moment was love advice. Despite that, his uncle had trusted him with his darkest secret. Sasuke had to at least try to help him.

"I should like your opinion on the matter. It's been years. Perhaps Tobirama has finally given up on trying to arrest our family." He says.

"He was trying to ARREST our family?!" Sasuke demands in his outrage.

"Well yes. He's the Chief of Police." The other Uchiha clarifies and Sasuke just gapes at Izuna.

He must have lost his mind. Izuna was part of a large criminal organization and he wanted a romantic rendezvous with a cop?! Damn. It all made sense now.

Suddenly, it was no longer a mystery. Now, Sasuke completely understood why his Great Uncle didn't want to tell his other Great Uncle about the picture or letter. He was flirting with jail time.

"Did it ever occur to you, that he's just trying to lure you out? Maybe, he just wants to gain your trust again and then he'll arrest all of us." Sasuke hisses.

"That thought has occurred to me, yes. That's the main reason why I haven't tried to fix things before. If it was only my life and future on the line, I would have reached out to him a long time ago. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. I have the rest of my family to think of." Izuna retorts.

Sasuke sighs. He hadn't known Izuna that long, but he still felt bad for the guy. It had to suck to choose between the love of your life and your family. After all, wasn't that what he was facing with Itachi?

"Just do it. You're smart. You'll know, if he's trying to play you. You've waited a long time for a chance to be with him again. If you don't take it, you'll regret it. Look what happened to mother and father." Sasuke whispers.

"You're a good boy, Sasuke. There are very few people that could understand something like this." Izuna says as he hugs him.

"I guess that we more than look alike. We're alike in a lot of important ways too." Sasuke says.

He sighs and returns the embrace. They were both in love with someone that they shouldn't be. Could he really have both though? Could he have Itachi and his family?

While Sasuke was at work, Itachi was on his own mission. He was going to find Naruto. He knew that the blonde was important to his brother. They were best friends and roommates.

Ideally, he would gain Naruto's approval. He wasn't a fool though. It was highly unlikely the other man would ever truly understand how much he loved his innocent kitten.

"Answer the door." He mutters under his breath as he knocks on the door of the apartment that Naruto and Sasuke shared.

There was only one solution. Itachi Uchiha was going to have to lie. Not only that, he was going to have to lie convincingly.

"COMING!" He hears someone shout out and a few seconds later the door was open.

The handsome blonde blinks at him. It was obvious that Naruto recognized him. That was hardly surprising though. If the blonde was objecting to his relationship with Sasuke it was due to their familial ties. He would have to recognize him enough to realize that they were brothers for that to be an issue.

"Itachi?" He asks in a whisper.

"Yes, I'm Itachi. I believe that you and I have much to discuss. May I come in?" He asks and Naruto nods dumbly.

He steps to the side and allows the older man inside his humble home. Itachi notes that it was a nice place. Of course, few places could compare to the Amaterasu. Still this was nice a place. Well as nice a place as two recent college graduates could afford anyway.

"Can I get you anything? Something to eat or drink maybe? Sorry, but we mostly have ramen or sandwich stuff." The blonde tells him.

"No, thank you. That's kind of you to offer, but I'm not here for pleasantries. I suppose that I shall just get straight to the point. You realize that Sasuke and I have a powerful attraction towards each other. At the club, neither of us recognized the other. It had been ten years, since we last saw each other. Anyone would have made the same mistake." Itachi says, trying his best to sound ashamed.

"Yeah. It had been ten years. It's not like you were expecting to see your long lost brother at a nightclub." Naruto agrees warily.

He didn't know where this was going. The blonde wasn't really sure, if that was a good thing or not. The only thing that he knew about Itachi is that most people would consider him hot and he had to be smart. He was an economist, after all.

"Exactly. We were confused at first. I admit that my attraction to him made me act inappropriately towards him, even after we discovered our blood ties. It's unfortunate that he is my brother. I believe that we mistook our natural brotherly love for each other for something more passionate in nature than it should have been." Itachi continues.

Naruto blinks. Wait. Had Itachi "broken up" with Sasuke? Part of him was overjoyed at that news. The other part of him mentally winced. His best friend was likely in a lot of pain at the moment.

He had been into Itachi. Really into him. Now Itachi was breaking up with Sasuke for something that wasn't his fault. Ouch. That had to hurt. That had to hurt a lot.

"So you and Sasuke aren't together anymore?" The college graduate asks warily.

"Not anymore. We broke it off. It was painful, but it was the right thing to do. Can you imagine how our parents would have reacted, if they found out? For obvious reasons, this should never be discussed again. Please don't hold this against Sasuke. This was more my fault than his." Itachi pleads.

"Yeah. You're parents would be heartbroken or furious. Probably both. Yeah. I won't. I mean I'll talk to him about the breakup. He's probably pretty bummed right now. Other than that, I'll let it go though. It was just a mistake. That's all." Naruto says.

Itachi nods. Thankfully, it looked like the blonde was buying it. He was a good friend, but it didn't look like he was the brightest crayon in the box. That could only be used to his advantage though.

Naruto wanted to believe that they were no longer together. Perhaps it was only natural that he wouldn't question Itachi's story too much. Wishful thinking could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"Thank you. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your discretion in this matter." Itachi says with a smile.

"No problem. I don't want Sasuke to get hurt. Well I don't want him to get hurt any worse than he is now. If this got out, this could ruin both of you. It's probably best just to pawn it off to a case of mistaken identity and hormones. Let's just leave it at that." The blonde says cheerfully.

Itachi nods in feigned agreement. There was absolutely nothing wrong about his love for Sasuke. It was society that had the problem. Not them. He wasn't going to let Naruto know that though.

"Wonderful. Well I'm glad that we had this talk. I won't take up anymore of your time." Itachi says smoothly.

"Yeah. Me too. You could stay a bit, if you want. Sasuke is my best friend and you are his brother. So we kinda should get to know each other. I can't believe that I had you pegged as this bad guy who was corrupting Sasuke. Sorry, about that." The younger man says sheepishly.

"That's quite alright. It was the natural assumption. You were just looking out for your friend. Sasuke is lucky to have you in his life. I'm afraid that I can't stay long though. I'm on my lunch break and have to get back to work." Itachi lies seamlessly.

Naruto nods. Of course, Itachi had to get back to work. He had a fancy gig that probably was pretty demanding about his time.

"Sure. Maybe another time then?" He asks.

"Yes, I think that would be a good idea. Well it was nice to formally meet you. I'm sorry that it was under somewhat uncomfortable circumstances to say the least." Itachi muses.

"Yeah. Me too! I'm really glad that we cleared everything up though." Naruto says and Itachi nods in agreement as he heads off.

Elsewhere Mikoto was walking with Fugaku. They were walking on the beach. Mikoto had decided that it was really in both of their best interests to go to public places for the time being.

That way, she wouldn't do something stupid. Like falling back into his arms again. Fugaku seemed quite content to humor her. The raven haired woman was almost certain that he knew why she was requesting them to meet at public places. Thankfully, he was too kind to call her out on it.

"Sasuke seems too be doing well." He says.

"Mhm. He graduated at the top of his class and everything." Mikoto says proudly.

Itachi and Sasuke were both academics. So that didn't surprise her. She would have been more surprised, if Sasuke didn't receive high marks.

"High school or college?" Fugaku inquires.

"Both." She says with a sly smile and her lover just laughs.

"I should have guessed that. After all, he is an Uchiha." Fugaku replies smugly and Mikoto nods in agreement.

She really should know better than this. Mikoto could only hope that the man would keep his word. If he didn't, well she didn't want to think about what would happen. She couldn't lose him again.

"Yes, he is. I'm sure that he's thrilled to have found all of you." She murmurs.

"I know that I am thrilled to have found the both of you again. Though I have to admit, I have my concerns about Tobirama." He says with a sigh.

Mikoto frowns. Fugaku was right to be concerned about that man. He was absolutely relentless. They would just have to hope that eventually he got bored and left them alone.

"I'm surprised that he's still alive." She whispers.

"He's alive because of Izuna's goodwill." He answers honestly.

He had lost Mikoto once because he kept secrets from her. Fugaku Uchiha wasn't going to make that mistake again. This time, he would be completely honest with her. This time, he wasn't going to lose her.

"Madara would have had him killed otherwise." She whispers.

"I'd like to deny that, but that would make me a liar." He admits as he caresses her cheek.

Mikoto sighs. Clearly, Madara was the ring leader of the group. He had always enjoyed being in charge. That much was obvious. Izuna was in it for the love of his family and because he liked the intellectual challenge of outsmarting his opponent. For Fugaku, it was a mater of family honor. She didn't know why Itachi had joined though.

"Well I appreciate the honesty." She says with a sigh.

"And I very much appreciate you, wearing that bikini." He says with a smirk.

The mother of two shakes her head in amusement. She did what any self-respecting woman would do in that situation. She playfully pushes him into the water. Of course, he drags her down with him.

They spent the rest of the day, splashing around on the beach. Mikoto felt like a teenager again. She could only hope that the feeling would last.

At that same time, Sasuke returns to Madara's Estate. He and Izuna had just arrived back from a press conference. Thankfully, his fingerprints had finally been added to the database. So for once, he didn't have to wait to be scanned in.

"I imagine it feels good to make it official." Izuna teases him.

"Oh yeah. It's much better than waiting for one of you three to let me in." Sasuke says with a tired smile.

"You should go get some rest. Press conferences can be exhausting at the best of times. They are particularly taxing in the beginning." His Great Uncle offers sympathetically.

Sasuke nods in agreement. He bids goodnight to Izuna and heads to his room. He wasn't surprised to see Itachi there.

What did surprise him was how pleased with himself, Itachi looked. He wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad sign. This was Itachi. Who really knew what went on in his head?

"Itachi?" He asks uncertainly.

"I spoke with Naruto. He's no longer going to be an issue. You needn't worry. I didn't harm a golden hair on his head." Itachi assures him.

Sasuke breathes a sigh of relief. When Itachi said that he had gone to speak with Naruto, his heart had stopped beating out of sheer terror. Naruto knew their secret.

That meant that Naruto was a threat. Dragons generally didn't respond well to threats. His best friend's earlier words echoed in his ears, _"It's not like he killed anybody."_ As much as Sasuke wanted to believe that Itachi hadn't, he honestly didn't know.

"Good. You would be in big trouble, if you did. Killing my best friend would be a deal breaker. You got that?!" Sasuke demands.

"Yes, Kitten. I understand. You can stop puffing up and hissing at me in such a distressed fashion. As I was saying, we had quite the productive discussion." He continues.

Itachi smiles. Sasuke was really adorable when he got angry. Well perhaps adorable was a bit of a stretch. He could punch at ANBU level. ANBUS weren't adorable. (Unless they were Sasuke, apparently.)

"And what exactly was said, during this productive discussion?" He asks warily.

Itachi shakes his head in amusement. His little brother was so suspicious. Well he had good reason to be in this case.

"I let him believe that we "broke up." Naruto is now under the impression that we have realized the error of our ways and are now pursuing a normal brotherly relationship. He has agreed to keep our "mistake" a secret." He says proudly.

Sasuke blinks. He couldn't believe that Itachi had actually done that. Somehow, he had convinced Naruto that they were no longer involved and his best friend wasn't going to blab.

"Just like that?" He asks a bit skeptically.

Could it really be that simple? He could have Itachi and keep his best friend? He could have Itachi and keep his family? All they had to do was lie convincingly?

"Just like that. Though I think it would be much more believable, if you had yourself a good cry or shame session with him. Just make it look like you're hurt, but moving on. He's even more foolish than you are, little brother. He actually thinks that you would leave me." Itachi says as he kisses Sasuke's forehead affectionately.

Sasuke shakes his head in amusement. That was Itachi for you. The man just oozed confidence. On anyone else, it would have been arrogant and he would have been disgusted. On Itachi, it was somehow disturbingly hot.

That was a good summary for his impression of the other man. He was disturbingly hot. He really shouldn't be attracted to him, but Sasuke was done fighting the magnetic pull the Dragon had on him. There was no fighting it. It was pointless to even try.

"I think that I can manage that." Sasuke says.

"And if you really wanted to be convincing, wait a week or two. Then we can deploy decoys." Itachi says smugly.

The younger Uchiha raises an eyebrow. He wasn't entirely certain what Itachi meant by a decoy. That could be good or bad. He was almost afraid to ask, but he did anyway.

"What do you mean by decoys? What exactly are you planning? Is it legal?" Sasuke asks warily.

"I simply mean that we will have someone pretend to be our significant other. That will throw everyone off of our trail. Of course, the decoys would know that this isn't a real relationship." Itachi says.

Oh. That made sense. Sasuke could never use someone that way without their consent, but that might be okay. If the decoys knew they were being used and were okay with it, why shouldn't he use them?

"Maybe. That would take a lot of trust though. Would these decoys know that we are together?" Sasuke inquires warily.

"It would depend on who we choose. Now I have a book here of potential decoys. All of these people are trustworthy and not the type to fall in love to easily. I think that any of them would be suitable candidates. You merely have to choose one that you think is believable and we'll get in touch with him." The elder Uchiha says smoothly.

"You've thought this out to a disturbing degree." Sasuke mutters.

"Sasuke, I'm an Uchiha. Uchihas always think things through. In addition to our good looks, we are also a family of geniuses." Itachi points out.

"And we're such a modest family." Sasuke says as he playfully rolls his eyes and begins looking over potential decoy options.


	15. Chapter 15

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I'm sorry that this chapter is a bit "late." I got caught up with some of my other stories. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 15

On Friday, Izuna found himself going to the river. He arrived perhaps five minutes before midnight, but Tobirama was already there. He'd recognize that head of snowy white hair anywhere. It was the one that had haunted his dreams for decades.

"You came." Tobirama says with a smile as he approaches Izuna.

"I almost didn't. My feelings for you have never changed, but I love my family. I won't throw them to the wolves." The raven haired man insists.

Tobirama sighs and nods as he caresses Izuna's cheek. They were now well passed middle age, but not quite in the twilight years. Despite that, Izuna was still as beautiful today as the day he was when they first met. In some ways, even more so.

"I know that. Your loyalty is one of the things that most attracted me to you. It's ironic that it is what has driven us apart all these years. Could you leave the Dragons?" He asks.

"I'm not going to turn them in. Not even for you." The Uchiha tells him.

"That's not what I'm asking. Could you "retire" safely? Would you have any cause to worry about being assassinated, if you did?" The Police Chief asks.

Izuna blinks. Was Tobirama offering him the same deal that Mikoto had given Fugaku. Could he really do that though? He'd been a dragon since he was younger than Sasuke. It was a major part of his identity.

"I could say with reasonable certainty that as long as I didn't become a snitch, retirement is in theory an option." He answers warily.

Would Tobirama really accept them? Would he be content with him just no longer being a Dragon? Could the Police Chief really turn a blind eye to the fact that his boyfriend's brother was the head of a massive criminal organization?

"It's not something that you would want though." Tobirama observes.

"I wouldn't say that. I love being a Dragon, but I can't imagine still holding onto the reigns of power for more than another decade or so at most." He answers honestly.

That was a good sign. Izuna wasn't dismissing the suggestion out of hand. Tobirama hoped that he would agree. If he agreed, maybe in the long run Madara would get caught or he would quit being a Dragon.

He mentally laughs at the second idea. If his Angel was reluctant to quit, Madara would be even worse. If you were born a Dragon, you would die a Dragon. It really was that simple.

"Why wait? I'm certain that Madara could handle that and you must have people one rung below you, who would be willing to take your place." Tobirama suggests.

"Of course, I do. There are many such people. You are asking me to give up a core part of my identity though." Izuna says.

"You are much more than some top level criminal! You don't have to live in his shadow! I admire your loyalty to your family, but at some point you have to live for yourself." Tobirama snaps at him.

Izuna bites his lower lip. Suddenly, he knew exactly how Fugaku felt. So this was what it meant to choose between love and your wings. It was rather obvious what the Police Chief was offering, but he had to be sure.

"And if I were to give up being a Dragon, what would happen?" Izuna asks softly.

"You wouldn't have to feel guilty for helping to keep a criminal organization going. You'd be free to do with your time as you pleased. We could try again. Izuna, we've wasted so many years out of principle. We've wasted so many years due to familial obligation. Let's not waste anymore." Tobirama pleads with him as he places a gentle kiss on his forehead.

Izuna smiles. He still loved Tobirama and he had often wished for a reconciliation. Maybe, this was his chance. He just wasn't sure, if he should take it.

"You would cease all efforts to capture my family and other Dragons, if I said yes?" The raven haired man dares himself to ask.

If he said yes, he had to know that his family would be safe. He couldn't in good conscience agree, knowing that Tobirama might still hunt them. Izuna loved the other man, but it wasn't an unconditional love. Family came first.

"That is a difficult promise to keep. I would say that I wouldn't intentionally seek them out. Should someone else in my department capture them, it would be out of my hands. That and if I get the order from high enough up, at best I could retire." He says.

Izuna frowns as he considers that answer. It wasn't what he wanted to hear, but it was an honest answer. It was the type of answer that Fugaku had given Mikoto really.

"I need some time to think about it." He whispers.

"Alright. Take all the time that you need, My Angel. I would urge you not to take too much time though. Time is very precious at our age." Tobirama says.

"I'm aware of that. When is a good time to get in touch with you?" The Uchiha inquires.

Tobirama smiles. It wasn't a yes, but it was a strong maybe. The fact that Izuna was even considering it was a good sign. Maybe, he really would get his angel back.

"Anytime. I don't care how late or early it is." The white haired man answers him, before flitting off.

Izuna smiles. Tobirama might be approaching his Golden Years now, but he was still incredibly fast. Oh and yeah. He still had the tightest ass that he ever seen. That was nice.

Meanwhile Sasuke glances through the book. Itachi had really thought this out. There were probably dozens of potential choices.

"Well we need to find two people who are relatively close to our age. I don't think that we should both start dating at the same time though. Wouldn't that look suspicious?" Sasuke asks.

"Not really. I am going to tell mother and father that I feel saddened by the fact we were kept apart for ten years. So I want to take you on a tour of Europe. We can meet them there. If they live on another continent, that will give us a valid excuse not to see them too often." He reasons.

Sasuke blinks. His brother was brilliant. Brilliant, but scary sometimes. He didn't know whether to laugh or be terrified.

"The CIA has nothing on you." Sasuke says with a smile as he leans over and kisses Itachi.

Itachi smirks and returns the kiss. He was glad that Sasuke had decided to stop fighting their attraction. They were meant for each other. It didn't matter that they happened to share the same last name.

"Mmm that's true. You should remember that. I can play rough when I want to." He says as he pins him playfully against the bed.

"Itachi, I can't focus on choosing suitable decoys when you do that. Actually, it's kinda hard to focus on anything with you straddling me." Sasuke admits.

The elder Uchiha couldn't help but feel rather triumphant at that declaration. Sasuke was certainly becoming less and less shy. His innocent little kitten would be fully corrupted soon enough.

"Well perhaps we should try again later. I mean since it's HARD, it would be a bad idea to fight it." He purrs seductively into his ear.

 **Warning Lemon**

Sasuke swallows hard. He knew what that tone of voice meant. Itachi was definitely going to make it official. If they hadn't already passed the point of no return, they were about to.

"Yeah. We can try again later." Sasuke says, hoping that he wasn't stammering like some bashful high schooler.

Itachi smiles as he swiftly undresses Sasuke. It didn't take him long to do so and he smiles at the result. All that smooth ivory skin and toned muscle was a delight to the eyes.

Beautiful. He was truly beautiful. The elder businessman didn't think that he could have imagined a lover who appealed to him more than Sasuke did at that moment.

"You're beautiful. I knew that the first moment that I saw you in that club and I haven't changed my mind since." He murmurs appreciatively.

Sasuke felt his face burn at the compliment. The fact that he was completely naked and Itachi wasn't, well that made him feel even more embarrassed. Itachi certainly wasn't shy about allowing his gaze to wonder.

"I had a similar reaction. I was disappointed when I thought that you were with that guy." He admits as he reaches for Itachi's shirt.

Itachi shakes his head in amusement and quickly pulls something out of his drawer.

Sasuke watches curiously. It was at that moment that Itachi took Sasuke's hands into his own and wrapped some type of silk ribbon around his hands. The younger Uchiha could only look at the other man in confusion.

"I know you. You're impatient and you're stubborn. In a wonderfully wicked way, of course. I want you to enjoy this though. I don't want it to just be a heated rush. Thus I have restrained you." He explains.

Sasuke blinks. Apparently, Itachi was into bondage. Well at least a light version of it. He wasn't really sure how he felt about being almost completely at the other man's mercy.

"You should have asked first." Sasuke grumbles.

"Foolish little brother. You would have said no, if I asked. Besides, you already consented to my lover and you can't tell me that a ribbon is hurting you. You punch at ANBU level. I know that you can handle a ribbon." Itachi says with a smirk as he places a trail of adoring kisses along the pale column of Sasuke's throat.

Sasuke sighs in pleasure and tilts his neck to the side. That was cheating. His brother was an evil cheater. He KNEW how sensitive his neck was. Sensitive enough to arouse not only his forgiveness, but also something else entirely.

"Mm you're right. I would have said no. You are a kinky bastard. You're completely corrupting me. You should be ashamed of yourself." Sasuke tells him.

Itachi snorts in amusement and bites down on Sasuke's neck lightly in retaliation for that remark. He knew that the younger man was really sassing him.

Sasuke might be foolish enough to feign resistance, but he wasn't foolish enough to think that he was actually capable of shamming him. Well at least Itachi hoped not. Sasuke struck him as being far too intelligent to be that foolish.

"I feel absolutely no shame at all and I'm sure that you're well aware with that. I find myself a bit at a loss for where to begin though. There are so many tempting options." Itachi muses as he glides his hands over Sasuke's muscular chest suggestively.

"Now THAT, I completely believe." Sasuke says.

He feels himself get goosebumps from the sensually light touches. Leave it to Itachi to barely be touching him and somehow find a way to make him harder than a rock. Sasuke was definitely not going to beg though. He had too much pride for that.

"You should come closer, so I can kiss you. That'd be a good place to start." Sasuke says.

"Such an innocent thing you are. Kissing." Itach muses as he leans down and kisses Sasuke heatedly.

It was soon a wild dance of tongues. Itachi felt his blood heat from Sasuke's passionate kisses. His little brother was an open mouth kisser and he certainly wasn't shy about using his tongue to try to seduce his lover.

Unfortunately for him, Itachi had far more experience. He was able to "conquer" the gorgeous man's mouth with relative ease as he continues his caresses. Itachi loved the way that Sasuke's muscles would jump underneath his fingertips. He was so wonderfully sensitive.

"Well I thought asking you to suck me off was a bit too forward." Sasuke mutters, after breaking the kiss.

"Or not." Itachi chuckles as he covers Sasuke's chest in affectionate kisses.

Sasuke sighs in pleasure. That felt nice, but like Hell was he going to take a completely passive role in their lovemaking. He had already broken several taboos. Sasuke might as well go for broke.

He manages to wiggle out the ribbon and pins Itachi on his back. He smirks at Itachi's surprised expression. Victory. Victory was his at last.

"Are you sure that you don't want to be a Dragon? You're awfully good at getting yourself into trouble and getting out of it." Itachi teases.

"I'll think about it." Sasuke whispers as he quickly strips the other man.

He couldn't help but take a moment to admire the beauty that was Itachi. Lightly sun kissed skin, sleek muscles, smoldering sexy eyes, and of course a rather impressive erection. It did give Sasuke a sense of pride to realize that he was responsible for that last part.

There was really no getting around it. Itachi Uchiha was gorgeous. Sasuke still didn't see what he saw in him, but he was passed arguing about it. He smiles and drags his tongue along one of Itachi's nipples.

"Ahhh! You're a tease." Itachi moans and arches against him.

Hmm. It looked like Sasuke wasn't the only one who was sensitive then. Sasuke decides to use this newfound discovery to the fullest advantage and tugs on the nipple with his teeth as his hands find Itachi's arousal and begin stroking him.

Itachi groans in pleasure as he looks down at the beautiful being currently teasing him to the brink of madness with his wonderful mouth and talented hands. There was something incredibly erotic about knowing that he had convinced Sasuke to completely abandon the rules of society. Just for him. Just for them.

"Have you ever bottomed before?" Itachi asks as he reaches over to the desk that was by his bed and pulls out a bottle of something.

"What the Hell makes you think that YOUR going to top?" Sasuke snaps at him and in an act of defiance, he moves further down and takes Itachi into his mouth.

"The fact that I'm older. I have more experience. That and you mew like a kitten when I touch you and S-SASUKE! That's cheating!" Itachi groans as he tries his best not to slam into Sasuke's gloriously hot and wet mouth.

Sasuke smiles smugly around Itachi's arousal. There. That had shut him up. He had reasserted himself and felt rather good about it.

As he was sucking on the other man's arousal, he looks up at him. Sasuke knew that for people like Itachi, eye contact was essential. It established more intimacy. It was one thing to do something like this. It was another not to be the slightest bit embarrassed about it. That was usually almost as erotic as the act itself.

"Does that mean you want me to stop?" Sasuke asks cockily, after briefly releasing him from his mouth long enough to ask.

"If you stop, you will regret it." Itachi growls at him warning.

Sasuke takes this as a good sign. He swirls his tongue around the sensitive tip and brushes his lips against the hot flesh in a half kiss as he sucks. Feeling a bit daring, he grazes his teeth ever so gently against Itachi.

Itachi glances down at Sasuke with hooded eyes. It felt nothing short of euphoric to have the other man's mouth wrapped around his cock like that. The way that he could use his lips, tongue,, and teeth simultaneously was likely going to coax an orgasm out of him far sooner than he would have liked. Itachi didn't care at the moment though.

How could he protest? Not with those beautiful eyes staring up at him and when Sasuke was providing him with such pleasure. With that thought in mind, he sneakily coats his fingers and slips one inside Sasuke.

"Damn it! Th-at's cheating!" Sasuke grumbles at him and squirming as he felt the sudden intrusion, after letting go of Itachi's arousal.

"Mmm all is fair in love and war." Itachi reminds him as he begins explore Sasuke's other most intimate space.

He was tight. Definitely the tightest that he had ever met. That was alright though. Itachi would just have to prepare him. He could do that.

It would be difficult to hold back his own lust though. Thanks to Sasuke's wicked mouth, the elder Uchiha was rather close to his own release. Oh well. He was capable of more than one round anyway.

"You evil son of a bitch." Sasuke grumbles and then he moans lewdly when Itachi finds his spot.

"You really shouldn't talk about our mother like that. She is a lovely woman." Itachi says with a smirk as he adds a second digit.

There was something alluring about watching Sasuke arch his back in pleasure and open his mouth in surprise and need. Itachi knew that he'd never find a more beautiful being that was as perfectly suited for him as Sasuke was at that moment.

Well he had always known that since he first found Sasuke in that club again. This moment just reinforced that notion in a powerful way. Itachi wasn't sure if he would ever be able to fully articulate it really.

"It was an expression! You arrogant bastard!" Sasuke hisses at him.

"Perhaps I should have mother wash your mouth out with soap. Be a good Sasuke and get on your hands and knees for me." Itachi says.

Sasuke just gapes at Itachi. He couldn't possible be serious. He wanted to do it THAT way?

"Oh right. Where are my manners?" The elder Uchiha asks as he removes his fingers, thinking that was why Sasuke was being "difficult."

"Pervert." He mumbles with a blush.

"Perhaps, but we have an exclusivity clause. So you should be a good Sasuke and enjoy my attention. I remember when we were children. You were forever following me around like an adorable lost puppy or kitten." He muses as he gently pushes Sasuke onto his hands and knees.

Sasuke hurls some rather colorful and unflattering phrases at Itachi for that comment. Itachi just chuckles though. He wasn't angry. How could he be angry when he was being treated to the lovely sight of Sasuke's backside and the gorgeous man on his hand and knees, just for him? It was impossible, really.

"If you hadn't always been so busy, I wouldn't have had to follow you around so much." Sasuke retorts.

"You're right. I should have paid more attention to you. I'll make sure to remedy that mistake now." Itachi assures him as he positions himself behind Sasuke and slowly buries himself inside his new lover.

Sasuke and Itachi both groan in pleasure. Sasuke suddenly was rather grateful that he wasn't the complete innocent that Itachi thought he was. If he had been, he wasn't sure how he would have handled Itachi's impressive size.

"God, you're so fucking tight." Itachi growls lustfully in approval as he nibbles on his ear.

"And you're so fucking big." Sasuke says with a shiver as he bucks back against Itachi.

He'd never been this full before. There was something reassuring about the feeling of Itachi on top of him. The warmth of his skin and breath against him. His masculine scent that Sasuke could only identify as being _Itachi_. His senses were deliciously overwhelmed by it.

"I'm glad you approve." His lover purrs with satisfaction as he begins to thrust in and out of him.

Sasuke bucks back against him encouragingly. Itachi could only moan at the added sensation. They fit together so perfectly. It was as if they were the Sun and Moon meeting for an eclipse. He wasn't entirely sure which of them was which, but he didn't care at the moment.

All he cared about was how good it felt to be inside Sasuke. How beautiful the other man looked underneath him. The taste of his skin and the sounds of his moans. Even his scent was driving him crazy. He had never been so completely enamored by someone before.

"Oh God!" Sasuke moans in ecstasy and writhes underneath Itachi as he feels his erection stroked.

"Just Itachi will do." His lover says smugly as he lavishes Sasuke's neck with kisses and playful love bites.

He didn't let up though. It seemed that Sasuke was just as eager as he was to tumble over the edge. Soon enough the two were moving as one.

The line between Sasuke and Itachi became blur. Neither of them could think of anything, but each other. It was as if their very blood was heated with desire with every moan and every thrust, they became even more lost in their lust for one another.

"You're such an arrogant bastard! Oh God! That feels so fucking good!" Sasuke moans wantonly as Itachi slammed into his spot once again and sent them both spiraling over the edge.

Sasuke was vaguely conscious of the fact that Itachi had climaxed with him and was now sliding out of him. His heart was pounding too fast and his body felt too good to fully process that at the moment though. All he knew at the moment was that that was the best sex he had ever had in his life.

 **End of Lemon**

"Maybe I am an arrogant bastard, but I have good reason to be. Wouldn't you agree?" Itachi asks.

With that being said, he quickly pushes Sasuke so that the other Uchiha was laying on his side. Itachi then waste no time in laying next to him and wrapping his arms around his new lover. Perfection.

"Yes, you have good reason to. Don't let it go to your head though." Sasuke says with a contented sigh as he cuddles into Itachi.

"Mmm I'll try. I can make no promises. No one else is allow to touch you that way though. I want you to remember how good we are together. I know that you will have people throwing themselves at you and unfortunately, I can't do anything about it. Remember that we belong together and society can be damned though." He whispers into his ears and Sasuke nods.

Normally, such possessiveness would have infuriated Sasuke. He wasn't the type to stray. Itachi didn't need to keep insisting on loyalty, but he couldn't entirely blame them.

Their relationship was a new one. If anyone else found out about it, it could ruin them. Itachi had good reason for making sure that Sasuke stayed with him. That and Itachi clearly loved him. He loved him in his own demented way.

"I'm not likely to forget that anytime soon. You have nothing to worry about. I love you. It's probably not healthy how much I love you really, but I do." Sasuke tells him with a smile.

"Good. I love you too." Itachi tells him and pokes his forehead.

"OWE! You always do that!" Sasuke growls at him.

"Because you still look so adorable when you're irritated. Now get some sleep, my love." Itachi says as he kisses Sasuke's shoulder and wraps them in the silky blankets.

Sasuke shakes his head. Itachi was Itachi. He supposed that he could put up with some annoying forehead pokes in exchange for mind-blowing sex. It seemed like a fair tradeoff to him.

"You're so lucky that I love you." Sasuke whispers.

"Oh believe me. I'm fully aware of that. An ANBU'S punch is nothing to sneeze at." Itachi says with a smirk.


	16. Chapter 16

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **The Fate of the Sharingan Dragons:** Now is your chance to weigh in on who you want to still be a Sharingan Dragon by the end of this story. Do you want all of the major players to leave? Would you prefer just some of them to leave and if so, who? Perhaps you would prefer for everyone to stay/become a Dragon? No matter which way you lean, feel free to make your opinion known.

Chapter 16

A few days later, Itachi and Sasuke were having lunch with their parents. The elder Uchiha's calm façade was truly impressive. Sasuke had no idea how his lover wasn't displaying any signs of nervousness. This was a rather important day for them.

"I'm aware that you will likely not be happy about this, but Sasuke and I have lost so many years. I have some business to attend to in Europe. It will be a relatively easy matter, but time consuming. A couple of weeks. I would like to take Sasuke with me. I think that it would be good for us to spend some time together as brothers. That and Sasuke could only benefit from seeing more of the world." Itachi states simply.

Sasuke almost chokes on his salad when Itachi said that they should spend some time together as brothers. Oh they had been spending some time together, but not as brothers. He highly doubted that the other man was interested in forging a stronger _**brotherly**_ bond while they were in Europe.

"Well I have been hoping that we would get to spend more time together, Itachi. It's only a couple of weeks though?" Mikoto asks softly.

"I'd like that mother. I'd like that very much. You're right though. It would only be for a couple of weeks." Her eldest son assures her.

Mikoto frowns and pauses as she considers it. Sasuke was a young man. He should get the chance to see with the world. Besides, who would look after him better than his own brother?

"Well technically, my objections would be more ceremonial than anything. You're both legally adults. I can't stop you and it is a good idea. Have fun on your trip, sweetie." Mikoto says as she smiles and kisses Sasuke's cheek.

Itachi smirks at the term of endearment. Sweetie. Oh he was never going to let his lover live that one down. That was truly priceless.

As if sensing where Itachi's thoughts were going, Sasuke shoots the elder Uchiha a Death Glare. He knew that his brother would never let him live that sweetie comment down. Damn it.

"Thanks, mother. I will. I'm sure that Itachi will show me all the sights." He says with a smile.

"Oh yes. Sasuke has expressed quite an interest in seeing my favorite sites. The Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower." Itachi says smoothly.

Sasuke sputters. Damn Itachi! Really?! He had to go there?! It didn't take a genius what that giant clock and tower were metaphors for! Was he trying to get them caught?!

"Sasuke, are you alright?" Fugaku asks in concern.

"Oh yeah! I'm fine! Something just went down the wrong way." The youngest Uchiha assures him.

"Ah. That happens sometimes. You should eat more slowly. You wouldn't want to choke on your food." Fugaku says.

Itachi chuckles and sips his wine to hide his smirk. Their parents were unwittingly giving him so much material to work with. Sasuke was truly glorious when he was filled with righteous outrage and flustered. Now he would be both in equal measures.

"Yeah. I'll be more careful." Sasuke mutters in agreement.

"It really makes me happy to see the two of you getting along so well. That was one of the hardest parts of the divorce. Separating the two of you. I remember when Sasuke was just a little boy and he always wanted to ride you. He loved his piggyback rides." Mikoto says innocently.

Sasuke mentally groans. He was never going to get through this lunch. The young man just knew that he was going to die of embarrassment. There was just no way he could endure this.

"Oh yes. Sasuke hasn't changed in some respects. He does seem to crave my attention. I don't mind though. He's a good boy. Well I suppose I should say man." Itachi observes.

Sasuke could only internally sulk in response. Damn, Itachi. Somehow he had made him sound like a puppy begging for attention and his love slave at the same time.

Really, that should have been impossible. This was Itachi though. Apparently, he could do anything.

"When would you be leaving?" Fugaku asks.

"Oh in about a week. It does take some time to make arrangements for work, to pack, and to find lodging." Itachi reasons and Fugaku nods in understanding.

Sasuke couldn't believe it. They were actually going to Europe on a Romantic Getaway/Mission. That and their parents weren't suspicious at all. It was nothing short of a miracle!

"Naruto is going to be so jealous when I tell him that we're going to Europe." Sasuke says smugly.

He wanted to add a hint of normalcy to the conversation. Talking about his best friend was normal. Unfortunately, Naruto was also the best friend that he had lied to.

Well maybe that was a stretch. Technically, Itachi had lied to him. Sasuke wasn't correcting the lie though. So really, he was just as bad as his brother in that respect.

"I imagine so." Mikoto says with a quiet laugh.

It was good to be a family again. Her sons were getting along well and she had reconciled with her former husband. Things were going better than she could have ever dreamed.

"Well I wouldn't want to copy them, but how does Hawaii sound? After, I tie up some loose ends at work." Fugaku asks Mikoto.

"It sounds like you just want an excuse to get me in a bikini, but I'll take it." She replies with a smile as she kisses his cheek.

Meanwhile Izuna was also having lunch. He was having lunch with Madara. There was something very important that he had to tell his brother.

The two of them had always been close. They told each other everything. Well almost everything. Izuna hadn't told Madara that had kept Tobirama's picture, but that was only one thing.

"You look disturbingly nervous today. I've rarely seen you nervous and it's never been without just cause. What has your scales shaking?" Madara asks in amusement as he pours himself another glass of wine.

"You won't like it, but I feel that it is important to be honest with you. We've been so much together. I've always known that I could trust you with almost anything. You've always kept my confidence. I could never have imagined a better brother or business partner than you have been to me for all these years." The younger Uchiha says.

"While I do enjoy getting buttered up, I must admit that you're doing it so thickly has me worried. What's wrong?" The wild haired man inquires.

Now he was sincerely worried. Izuna was acting so strangely. Normally, he could predict how his brother would react in any given situation. They were more like identical twins than mere brothers in that way.

"It's not wrong exactly, but I am thinking about retiring from the Dragons early. Sasuke can easily take my place in a couple years and I'll train him in the meantime. I'd like to phase myself out of the family business." Izuna explains.

Madara's eyes narrow. Izuna loved being a Dragon. He was also in good health. Both mentally and physically, there was no reason for him to want an early retirement, except one.

A certain Police Chief came to mind. Madara really hoped that Izuna wasn't that foolish, but he doubted he was that lucky. His brother had loved the man. That much was obvious, but his head had always won out over his heart.

"Not you too. Are you going to retire because you hope that Tobirama will take you back? It's one thing for Fugaku to leave to be with his ex wife. She's the mother of his children AND she's not a police officer! You're playing with fire, Izuna. Please tell me that you aren't that reckless." The older Uchiha demands.

Izuna sighs. He had been afraid of this reaction and the Dragon knew that it was deserved. He really was playing with fire. Tobirama was the Chief of Police and he was a criminal. How could it ever work?

"I understand all of your points, but he's known for decades. Madara, if he really wanted to put us behind bars, he would have done it by now. Don't you think?" The Public Relations Specialist dares himself to ask.

He knew his brother. Madara had a fiery temper at the best of times. Izuna was now walking on very thin ice and there was no going back.

"We're too clever for him. That's why we've stayed out of prison. Do you think that he'd overlook your prior criminal activity because of your age? The law doesn't care, if you get discount on your coffee for being a Senior Citizen!" Madara snaps at him.

"I know that the law doesn't care and that we're clever, but I don't think that you give him enough credit. If he really wanted to capture us, he would have done it by now. Madara, I know that I'm asking a lot. I know that, but I love him. I've spent decades away from him. I don't want to waste anymore time. I can train Sasuke. He'll take my place. We're still brothers. We don't have to both be Dragons for us to share a sacred bond." He reasons.

Madara sighs. He was less than thrilled about Izuna leaving the Dragons for any reasons, but he probably should have seen coming. Izuna had put his duty to his family before his heart for years. It was risky, but he did want his brother to be happy.

"You're being foolish and reckless, but I can't stop you. You aren't my slave. If you don't wish to be a Dragon, you don't have to be a Dragon. I will certainly miss having you at the helm,, but I suppose we can bond as normal brothers. Over coffee and playing Bingo." He says as he rolls his eyes at the very thought.

"I think that we both know that you aren't the type to play Bingo. Thank you, Madara. I'll have to think about it. If I do go through with it, it's nice to know that I have your blessing. I love him, but this is such a core part of my identity. Though I suppose it would be difficult to outfly the cops at eighty." He muses.

"Yes, the perils of getting old. I've never really cared for them. I'll be damned if I let a minor thing like arthritis slow me down." Madara says smugly.

A week later and Mikoto smiles as she sees her boys board the plane. She still couldn't believe that her babies were all grown up and global travelers. Sometimes she still pictured them as the little boys that would play on the swingset together.

"I'm glad that they've decided to take this trip together. It'll be hard to be away from them for this long, but it'll be good for them. It'll especially be good for Sasuke. Has he ever been outside of the country before?" Fugaku asks his wife.

"No. This will be his first time. Thank goodness that Itachi is such an experienced traveler." She says with a sigh as she leans into his embrace.

Fugaku nods. If there was one thing that Itachi was exceptionally good at besides economics, it was traveling. That boy certainly knew all the best sights and how to stay safe while traveling abroad.

"They'll be fine, Kitten. Don't worry so much. The Hatchling is all grown up now and Itachi is with him. Besides, this gives us quite a bit of free time to continue our reconciliation. We do have a lot of time to make up for." Fugaku says with a smirk.

"Mmm you are insatiable. Though I really don't mind all that much." She states as she rests her head on his shoulder.

"Good. That's my Kitten. Always ready to play." He tells her as he wraps his arms around Mikoto more tightly.

Perhaps they could get remarried again. He knew that it was too soon to ask, but it was possible. He never would have thought that she'd ever forgive him, but Mikoto had.

"Mhm. It's been a long time since I've played with anyone. So you're right. We do have a lot of time to make up for." The dark haired beauty says with a sly smile.

As Sasuke was boarding the plane with Itachi, he smiles at the sight of his parents. It was good to see them back together. Maybe things would work out somehow.

Could he really have Itachi and his parents both in his life? Not to mention two crazy great uncles? It looked like that might actually be possible.

That's when he saw Naruto in the crowd and mentally flinches. The youngest Uchiha still felt incredibly guilty about lying to him. There was nothing that he could do about the matter though. It was the only way he could keep his friend and Itachi.

"Hey, bastard! Have a good time in Europe!" Naruto cries out.

"Thanks, loser! I will!" Sasuke yells back at him and with that, the Uchiha brothers boarded the flight.

Naturally, it was First Class. Sasuke doubted that Itachi would have accepted anything less. Still it was quite the experience to be in the comfortable section of the plane where champagne was being served.

"Don't feel guilty. What he doesn't know, won't hurt him." Itachi tells Sasuke.

He could see that his brother was struggling with the morality of "lying" to his best friend. To Itachi, it was a shame that such an action necessary. He detested deception, but it had to be done.

"I can't help it, but you're right. So can I have another look at that book again?" Sasuke whispers.

"Of course. You can look at WHATEVER you like." The elder Uchiha says with a seductive purr in his voice as he hands Sasuke the book.

Sasuke shivers at the not so subtle promise in Itachi's voice. The man was a walking sexual fantasy, really. Did Itachi view him the same way though? The younger Uchiha doubted it. He'd never be able to compete with THAT purr.

"How kind of you." Sasuke retorts as he glances over the book.

There were so many choices. It was hard for him though. One of these people was going to pretend to be Itachi's boyfriend. His brother was extremely possessive, but Sasuke apparently did have a jealous streak as well.

He was half tempted to choose someone that he knew Itachi would never be attracted to. Someone who would rub him the wrong way. That way there was no threat.

It was a childish thought though. Really, it was beneath him. That didn't change the fact that the impulse was still there. The fact that the thought had occurred to him in the first place, disturbed him though.

"What about this one for you?" Sasuke says as he points to a picture of a handsome youth.

The smarter move was to choose someone that Itachi could realistically be attracted to. Surely, their father would know if someone was completely incompatible with Itachi. He' comment on it.

"Utakata. You have good taste. He's certainly attractive and presents himself well. The man owns a rather large wine company in Italy. So he's professional too. Certainly, no one could accuse him of being a gold-digger. He has his own money." Itachi muses.

Sasuke nods in agreement. It bothered him, but Utakata was a far better match for Itachi than he was. At least they weren't brothers and right now, Itachi was an assistant to one of their Great Uncles. Though technically, he wasn't even that. He hadn't signed the paperwork yet.

"That's true. Does it bother you that I'm not like him? I mean I'm just an assistant. Sorta." Sasuke mutters.

"Sasuke, you're a recent graduate. This man inherited his company and has been out of school for a couple years. That isn't a fair comparison. Besides, it wouldn't matter to me if you were a sexy cashier at some store that I walked into. You're still you. I'm not in love with you for your money." Itachi assures him.

"Good to know. Though there's nothing wrong with being a cashier." Sasuke says.

Itachi shakes his head in amusement. His foolish little brother was missing the point. Oh well. He didn't mind spelling it out again.

"No. I have nothing against cashiers. I'm just saying that your occupation and wealth doesn't matter to me. You're still my adorable sex kitten. That's all that really matters." Itachi says smugly.

"While we are on the subject of stupid endearments and suggestive comments, what the Hell was that about last week? I can't believe that you said that garbage to them about the Big Ben and Eiffel Tower!" Sasuke says in outrage.

Itachi smirks. Sasuke's outrage was adorable. Really, it was like a kitten puffing up and hissing.

"They had no idea what I really meant. It was amusing. Relax. Perhaps a nice shoulder rub would help you calm down?" Itachi suggests.

"You know that you can't do that on the plane!" Sasuke snaps at him.

"Mmm that is a fair point. You are rather sensitive. I suppose it can wait until we get back to the hotel room." The elder Uchiha concedes.

Sasuke feels his face burn bright red. Itachi was completely impossible. He had no idea what he was going to do with the other man. Honestly.

Elsewhere Kaguya frowns as she considers her options. It seemed that the Dragons were starting to fly off. Well that certainly wouldn't do.

She was the Governor of this state. The Dragons were useful because she knew that she could count on them to control the other gangs. The Dragons also didn't get caught. So the crime rates were lower with them around.

"I believe that it might be time for me to have a chat with Madara and Izuna." She murmurs to herself.

She didn't particularly care who led the Dragons. If Fugaku and Izuna were distancing themselves from the organization, that was fine. She did demand that there was competent leadership at the helm though.

Unfortunately, Madara and Izuna were both getting on in years. Even if Izuna wasn't getting cold feet, he and Madara could only reasonably lead the Sharingan Dragons so long. She had expected Fugaku and Itachi would pick up the slack one day. Now that was far from a certainty.

"What do you wish to do, My Lady?" Zetsu asks her.

After her sons had died, she adopted Zetsu so to speak. He had a strange skin condition that made half of his skin black and the other half white. The young boy had been mocked without mercy. Well that was until she took him under her wing.

"I'll speak to the Head Dragons first. If they decide to be difficult, well I have ways to deal with them." She says with a smirk.

She hoped that it wouldn't come to that. Kaguya was far from the typical naïve politician that was normally in charge. She understood that crime would always exist. It was merely a matter of managing it.

That was why she long ago made a deal with Madara. He had kept his word for years. She never thought that he wouldn't. Now, it looked as though other people were making it unnecessarily difficult for him to do so.

"That's a good idea. This might just be a misunderstanding." Zetsu agrees.

"Yes, that may well turn out to be the case. For their sake, it had better be. I do not wish to have play rough. I will though. If it becomes necessary, I will." She says.

Meanwhile Tobirama says as he heads home and decides to take a hot shower to clear his mind. He had told Izuna what he wanted. Izuna just needed time to figure out if that was what he wanted.

He didn't doubt for a moment that the other man still loved him. It was just that his loyalty to his family was extremely strong. Would romantic or familial love win out in the end? The cop didn't know and that thought scared him.

"Things would have been so much easier for me, if I had been wired like Hashirama." He murmurs.

His brother had fallen in love with the Cheerleading Captain in high school. She was beautiful, smart, and popular. The perfect match in every conceivable way for his brother. The two of them had married almost as soon as they graduated and had a long, happy marriage until their deaths.

"Why couldn't I have the same thing?" He mutters.

Why? Well he had fallen in love with a Dragon. A Dragon with the face of an Angel and a kiss as sinful as the Devil. That was why he couldn't have what his brother had.

Well at least that had been why. Tobirama had laid his cards on the table though. Izuna knew what he wanted. Now it was completely up to him.

"Will he say yes though?" Tobirama wonders as he finishes his shower.

He felt marginally better now. At least one way or another, he would have his answer. He could finally have some real closure, after all these years.

There weren't many people who could truly say that. No matter what Izuna said, Tobirama was lucky in that way. He just hoped that the other man would say yes though.

He deeply hoped that. Love was a strange thing. It didn't care about logic at all. If it did, he wouldn't have fallen in love with a criminal. Why couldn't Izuna had been a cop instead?

"We could have had a lot more fun with the handcuffs that way and he would have looked rather impressive in a uniform." He observes.

No. He suppose that the universe didn't work that way. That would have been too easy. Tobirama was a man to whom fate had never been particularly kind. He was used to it though.

That was when his phone rang. Tobirama blinks as he quickly throws on a robe and answers the phone. Soon enough, he hears a very familiar voice on the other end of the line.

"Tobirama? Are you there? Is this a bad time?" Izuna asks.

"Yes, it's me. No, this is a good time. Have you thought about what I said?" He asks.

He tries to will his heart to stop pounding. It was no use though. This could very well be the moment of truth.

"I have. I've thought of scarcely anything else to be honest. I talked to Madara. He's certainly not happy about it, but he would support my decision. That's if I decide to leave." He says.

"And have you decided to leave?" Tobirama replies.

"I'm thinking about it. It's a lot to walk away from. It's part of my identity, but I love you. You're also right. We have both wasted so many years." Izuna answers him uncertainly.

Well maybe fate was about to be kinder to him. Izuna was wavering. That was only natural though. The man had probably been a Dragon since he could walk and talk.

"Would you like to meet somewhere and discuss the matter further?" He asks.

"I'd like that." Izuna agrees with a smile.


	17. Chapter 17

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. Well the votes were all over the place. There were some possible combinations that I hadn't considered, but overall we did have a winner. By a landslide, most people decided that everyone should become/stay a Dragon. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 17

The next day, Itachi and Sasuke arrive in France. Fortunately for Sasuke, it didn't take them too long to get to their hotel room after that. The youngest Dragon had never been on such a long plane ride before and was currently waging a valiant battle against a bad case of jetlag.

"It can take awhile to become accustomed to such things. There is truly no shame in it." Itachi assures his brother as the two of them stumble into their hotel room.

"Yeah. I know. I'm exhausted though." Sasuke says with a yawn as he stretches and rather unceremoniously flops onto their Queen Sized bed.

It was a beautiful room. The bed was a blue canopy one with silken blankets, pillows, and sheets. The walls were white and the carpet a lovely silver color. There was a handsome grandfather clock in the background, a connected bathroom, and a kitchen.

The hotel room had everything they could ever need. That included a couch, a coffee table, computer, and tv. So this was what it was like to be a Dragon, Sasuke muses to himself. You always had access to the best of everything.

"That's only to be expected. You should get some rest." Itachi says and Sasuke nods in agreement.

"Yeah. I think that I'll just try to sleep it off." Sasuke replies as he slides out of his shirt and pants.

A short while later, he stood before Itachi in only his boxers. This was much to his brother's delight of course. Itachi smiles and pulls Sasuke in for a kiss.

Sasuke eagerly returns the kiss and wraps his arms around the elder Uchiha's neck. No matter how tired he was, he couldn't resist the other man's kiss. It was an addiction really. A maddeningly wonderful addiction.

"That'd probably be a good idea." Itachi agrees and Sasuke smiles in response.

"It's kinda hard to focus on sleep when you kiss me like that though." The younger Uchiha says with a smirk.

"Mmm yes. I know. That was horribly inconsiderate of me. I know how easily distracted and excited you can get." The economist retorts, before pushing his lover onto the bed and pulling the blankets over him.

Sasuke nods in mock seriousness. Itachi could be rather playful when he wanted to be. He doubted that very many other people were privileged enough to see this side of his brother. That's one of the many reasons why he treasured it so much.

"I love you." The college graduate whispers.

"I love you too. Now, get some sleep." Itachi orders him as he kisses his forehead.

Sasuke didn't have any problem doing exactly that. Almost as soon as declaration of love had left his mouth and his head hit the pillow, he drifts off to sleep. The plane ride and time zone difference had really taken a lot out of the youngest Uchiha.

"Beautiful." Itachi murmurs with approval as he caresses the now sleeping man's cheek.

Sadly, he had an important task to do. Sighing, Itachi opens the book and begins scanning for possible pretend lovers for his brother. This wasn't going to be easy.

He was enormously possessive even with his "typical lovers." Sasuke was in a completely different league. Itachi knew that the raven haired man wouldn't have any real feelings for the decoy, but that didn't make it any easier for him to take.

"Life would have been much simpler, if we hadn't shared the same last name." He whispers as he turns the page.

He would need someone close to Sasuke's age. Certainly, Itachi would need to find someone who was either openly gay or at least bisexual. That and they would have to be attractive and intelligent.

The decoy might not be Sasuke's real boyfriend, but Itachi would be damned if he match Sasuke with a simpleton. No. This decoy had to meet certain criteria.

"Haku." He says with a smile.

Haku was about the right age. Well he was a bit older than Sasuke, but younger than Itachi. The man was certainly stunning with his gorgeous chocolate brown eyes, midnight black hair, and fair skin. So he certainly fit the physical criteria.

Itachi pauses as he considers the other requirements. Haku was also intelligent and a doctor. Not to mention he was well known as preferring men. No one would question his sexual orientation. He was truly the "perfect match" for Sasuke's decoy.

"I'll make the suggestion later, after he wakes." Itachi murmurs.

Back in the United States, Kaguya goes to meet with Madara and Izuna. She knew that a face to face meeting would generally yield better results. If they were planning on disbanding the Sharingan Dragons, she was going to inform them in no uncertain terms that she wouldn't allow such a thing.

"Kaguya, it's been far too long." Madara greets her with a smile and kisses her hand.

It was an old fashioned gesture. Kaguya did seem to adore the traditions of Medieval Europe greatly. Personally, Madara thought that the woman might have been born in another time. That was a matter for another day though.

"Yes, it most certainly has. As always it is a pleasure to see both you and Izuna. I'm afraid that work has kept me busy. I'm running for reelection. It's such a tedious and time consuming process." She observes with a sigh.

Izuna nods in mock sympathy. He didn't believe that for a minute. Kaguya had been the Governor for almost twenty years. Every election cycle, she had a different opponent. One thing always remained the same though. Kaguya never lost.

At least once, she had come close to losing though. That time she had requested the Dragon's assistance. It was nothing short of an assassination, but Izuna didn't mind. He had no particular love for any politician and it had been one Hell of a payday.

"Likewise. Was there a particular reason you asked to meet with us today or is this more of a social visit?" Izuna dares himself to ask.

There was no point beating around the bush. Kaguya would tell them soon enough anyway. This was not a woman who was shy about asking for whatever it was that she wanted.

"Ever the business professional, as always. I have reason to believe that at least a few of your family members are considering leaving the Sharingan Dragons. Is that correct?" She inquires as she sips her champagne.

Kaguya loved champagne. She loved the luxury of it and the way the bubbles would tease her senses. That was just one of the many perks to being fabulously wealthy and powerful.

The elderly woman was determined to hold onto that power at any cost. She didn't mind murder or blackmail to get her way. Nothing was going to keep her from her goals. She might even run for President, one day.

"That's correct. I assure you that it will not interfere with our arrangement though." Madara says simply.

"Mmm I see. Is it the two of you? Are you retiring because you are getting on in years?" Kaguya asks with a deceptively sweet smile.

Madara's eyes narrow. He didn't care for the implication. Kaguya was even older than them and the Dragon didn't miss the thinly veiled threat in her question.

"Izuna would prefer to enjoy his twilight years without having to worry about the business. Fugaku wants to be a family man again. It's truly as simple as that. I promise you that I am more than capable of running the organization. I still have Itachi and there is always Shisui. Not to mention we have many talented men and women in our organization that could be promoted, if need be." He states curtly.

Kaguya raises an eyebrow. So it was true then. Interesting. She had expected Madara to deny it.

"I appreciate your honestly, though I must admit that I do have concerns. Our business arrangement has been mutually beneficial to all of us. I want to ensure it continues, even if a few Dragons fly off. I'm certain that you can understand my concern?" The lavender eyed woman asks softly.

The soft voice was a mask. Madara knew that all too well. On the inside, she was a viper. A viper who was preparing to strike. This simply wouldn't do at all.

"Of course, I understand your concerns. Rest assured. I shall still be a Dragon. You have nothing to worry about. I am grooming Itachi personally to take over in my place when I finally retire or pass on." He assures her.

Izuna and Madara both knew that the assurance was meaningless. Kaguya had already made up her mind. It was now merely a matter of who would strike first.

"I'm glad to hear that. I should like to meet Itachi and any of the associates that you believe might be moving further up the ranks of management." She says.

"Naturally. We'll arrange a meeting as soon as possible. Well for now, let me walk you to your car." Izuna offers.

"Such a gentleman. Thank you. It's such a shame that chivalry has fallen out of style these days." The Governor says with a wistful sigh.

Izuna nods in agreement. He honestly didn't care if she was sincere about longing for chivalry or if that was just another part of her act. The act of being a respectable politician. In reality, she was scarcely more than a cold-blooded killer.

The fact that she rarely did the deed herself, mattered little to him. The people that she wanted gone, had a habit of winding up dead. Enough said.

"Of course. It's a shame." He replies as the Dragon leads Kaguya to her car.

Izuna even went so far as to open the door for her. When it came to women, it was truly the little things that mattered. In the end, he knew that his display of good manners was futile. For now though, it would buy them some time.

Time that they would desperately need to strategize. Kaguya was certainly not a woman to be taken lightly. That was the last thought on Izuna's mind as he watched her speed away.

Elsewhere with Mikoto and Fugaku, the mother of two was experiencing some separation anxiety. It was one thing for Sasuke to go across the country for college. It was another to go to different country. (Well more realistically, her sons were likely going to visit several European countries. It was the principle of the thing though.)

"Mikoto, Sasuke is twenty-three years old. He's a grown man. You don't need to fret like this." Fugaku observes with a chuckle.

"Yes, I know. I guess that they'll always be my babies. Well our babies." She mumbles as she snuggles into him.

The two of them were back at Madara's home and the dark beauty was currently wrapped in Fugaku's arms. She had missed this. Mikoto enjoyed cuddling with her lover.

"That's true, but they are grown men now. That and Itachi is a Dragon. That man is thoroughly trained in almost every form of self-defense imaginable. He won't let anything happen to Sasuke." The Uchiha man replies.

Mikoto nods in agreement. Thankfully, Itachi was still extremely protective of his little brother. That was something of a relief. Their reunion had gone smoothly. There were many other scenarios in which it might not have.

"'You're right. I'm worrying too much. Now, were you serious about that trip to Hawaii?" She asks with a smile.

"I would never joke about the chance to get you into a bikini as often as possible. Yes, I was serious. We have wasted so many years, My Love. We have a lot of making up to do." He tells her as he kisses her head.

He couldn't believe that his Kitten was back in his arms again. It really was nothing short of a miracle. Their boys were such miracles as well. Without Sasuke, he wouldn't have ever had the chance to reconcile with his former wife.

"Yes, we do. I'm sorry." She whispers.

"The fault was not yours. You did what you thought was right. I was the one who kept it a secret from you. There shouldn't be secrets between a man and his wife." Fugaku says with a sigh.

He should have told her. The father of two knew that. He had always known that, but Fugaku just hadn't been sure how to tell her. Years had slipped away and before he knew it, he had lost her because of his secrecy.

"Maybe. I thought it was right. Leaving you and Itachi was the hardest thing that I've ever done. I regret it. You probably would have quit, if I had asked you too. I didn't need to leave you. So many years." She whispers.

"Let's not dwell on the past. The future looks much brighter." He murmurs.

"Yes, you're right." Mikoto agrees with him as she snuggles further into her lover.

A few hours later, Sasuke woke up and frowns when he doesn't see Itachi. That's when he hears the water running from the bathroom and he smiles. Ah. So that's where he was.

Sasuke quickly heads to the bathroom. He wasn't going to ignore such an obvious invitation. The raven haired man smiles as he admires Itachi's form from behind the shower curtain.

 **Warning Shower Scene**

The raven haired man swiftly disrobes and joins Itachi in the shower. At the moment, Sasuke couldn't help but mourn the fact that he wasn't that much of an artist. Itachi's naked and soaking wet body was as sight that should be preserved for the ages. Shame.

"Ah. I see that you finished with your beauty sleep. I can't blame you though. It must take a lot of rest to be that stunning." Itachi says with a sly smile as he wraps his arms around Sasuke and pulls the other man against his chest.

"How many of these puns do you have?" Sasuke replies in amusement.

"Oh I have a HARD time keeping track of all of them, really." Itachi says with a smirk as he presses his arousal against Sasuke's backside.

Sasuke shivers. Itachi definitely wasn't shy. The man never had any problem going after exactly what he wanted and right now, that something was apparently him.

"Something is definitely hard, alright." Sasuke says slyly.

"Well that would be your doing. You really should apologize properly for causing this problem." Itachi states.

"I was sleeping. How the Hell could I possibly give you THAT while I was sleeping?" The other Uchiha demands in disbelief as he strokes Itachi.

Itachi groans and bucks into the other man's talented hands. Sasuke was certainly gifted when it came to all manner of carnal arts. That much was for certain.

Enjoying the feeling of his lover's hands on him, he decides to return the favor. Itachi takes Sasuke into his hand and strokes him. After all, fair was fair.

"You truly have no idea how beautiful you look while you're asleep. Believe me, it's more than possible for you to cause this unintentionally." The Dragon retorts.

"I think you are just Nympho." Sasuke says as he pants in pleasure and strokes Itachi even faster.

Damn it. Itachi was good with his hands, really good. It was incredible really. The man should win some sort of medal for that level of skill.

"Well that term usually carries a feminine connotation, but it may not be completely inaccurate." Itachi admits as he captures Sasuke's lips with his own.

Sasuke groans into the kiss and returns it. Oh yeah. He had a problem. He was in love with a man who shared his lost name and currently far more turned on than he should have been.

Itachi groans as he thrusts faster into Sasuke's hand. He was ridiculously close to climaxing. No one else had ever brought out such responses in him, so swiftly. Just his Sasuke.

"It's completely accurate." Sasuke says with a smirk as he watches Itachi achieve his climax and soon joins him.

The water washes off the evidence of their sensual teasing as Itachi holds Sasuke close to him. Both of them pant as they try desperately to catch their breath. The high of their pleasure was too intense to recover from that quickly..

"You're a sassy thing." Itachi muses as he lathers his body and Sasuke's with soap.

As he proceeds with this task, Itachi occasionally kisses Sasuke's neck and shoulders. The action soon produces the desired result. Sasuke sighs in pleasure and leans back against him.

"I want you to remember how you feel now. I'm the only one that can give you this. You're also the only one that can do the same for me. We were made for each other. The fact that we share a common ancestry is of no consequence." He whispers into the other man's ear.

"You have to be the most possessive bastard that I have ever met." Sasuke informs his brother as he rinses them off and proceeds to dry them off, once they were out of the shower.

 **End Shower Scene**

Itachi watches in amusement as Sasuke proceeds to dress the both of them, after their sexy shower. It really was such a Sasuke move. He loved either being taken care of or doing the nurturing, it seemed.

"Yes, I'll admit that I'm very possessive. You don't seem to mind that much though." The elder Uchiha says with a smirk.

"Not really. I don't want anyone else, but you. So it doesn't matter. I'm just saying that it's not really a healthy personality trait of yours. I guess that I should be relieved. It's like the one area that you aren't perfect in." The raven haired man says.

Itachi shakes his head. Sasuke thought he was nearly perfect. It was such a sweet notion, though horribly inaccurate.

His kitten wouldn't think he was perfect, if Sasuke knew what he had done in the past. Sasuke would likely be horrified. That was alright though. Perhaps, he would just keep Sasuke on the more "level" part of the Family Business and shield him from the more vicious aspects of what it meant to be a Sharingan Dragon.

"I'm far from perfect, but I'm flattered that you think that of me." Itachi says with a smile.

Meanwhile Kaguya glances at public records. They had said something about Fugaku wanting to be a family man again. That didn't make any sense though. Itachi was fully grown.

That's when she remembered that Fugaku had a second son. The man had gotten custody of Itachi, but his ex wife received custody over their youngest.

"Hmm well that would explain why Fugaku is getting cold feet. What about Izuna though? The man has been a Dragon for even longer. I don't think that he would want to retire just to enjoy more leisure activity. There has to be another reason." She reasons.

"I may have theory, mother." Zetsu says.

"A theory? Very well then. I'm all ears. I must admit that I am curious as to what could compel someone like Izuna into considering quitting. He was born and bred for this lifestyle. For him to turn his back on it, well it's almost unthinkable." The Governor states.

Zetsu nods. He was inclined to agree with his mother. If anyone seemed like a "lifer," it was certainly Izuna Uchiha.

"It seems that he's been spotted with another man about his age. A looker really. Izuna has always preferred men. That's no secret. I believe that he is trying to leave for love." The multicolored man muses.

Hmm. For love? Well she supposed that was one of the main reasons why someone would be foolish enough to leave a gang. If it was for love, that made things trickier.

"I think that I shall have to speak with Itachi and this Sasuke. If Izuna is on his way out, Madara may follow him. I have to ensure that after those two are gone that the Sharingan Dragons continue to be well managed." She murmurs.

Zetsu glances at his maternal figure in alarm. He knew what that meant. Kaguya was planning a hit.

She was planning to have Madara and Izuna killed. Of course, his mother was a smart woman. She wouldn't do so until after she was positive that their successors were "suitable."

"Do you really believe that this situation calls for such extreme measures? You have worked with the Uchiha Brothers for decades. It's been quite the profitable partnership for everyone involved." Her son cautiously offers.

"Are you questioning my judgment?" Kaguya hisses at him.

Zetsu was certain in her own way, that Kaguya cared fro him. He wasn't stupid though. While she may love him, she loved herself more. Anyone who disagreed with her could expect their life expectancy to be drastically cut.

"No! Of course not! I would never do that! I was merely curious if you were convinced that this was the wisest course of action. Madara and Izuna are known entities. We do know something about Itachi, but this Sasuke is an unknown. Better the Devil that you know?" He stammers out quickly.

Kaguya smirks. Zetsu was smart. That was why she had taken him under her wing. Well that was one of the reasons anyway.

She wasn't a fool. The woman knew that someone with Zetsu's skin condition would be teased without mercy. That meant that he would be completely devoted to anyone who showed him kindness. So that was what she had done and in the process she had crafted the perfect "son."

"That's a good point. I thank you for your concern, but it isn't necessary. I know exactly what I'm doing. I've been dealing with the Dragons for a long time. I know everything about them. The only ones that I don't know that well are Sasuke and Mikoto. That's alright though. They were civilians for a very long time. I doubt they will pose any real threat." The lavender eyed woman replies.

Zetsu mentally sighs in relief. His mother was no longer angry with him. Good. That meant that he would get to live to see another day. There were certainly man who weren't nearly as fortunate as he was.

"Of course. What do you have in mind?" He asks.

"I think that I'll start getting in touch with other gangs and make it look like a gang war. I'll give them specific instructions to spare Sasuke and Itachi. That should take care of all of our problems." Kaguya says with a smirk.


	18. Chapter 18

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 18

The next day, Itachi took Sasuke to meet a man called Haku. Apparently, his brother thought that Haku would be a suitable pretend lover for him. Sasuke was morbidly curious about what kind of person the Dragon would match him with, besides himself. That was why he went to the meeting without any protest.

"Haku, this is Sasuke is my brother. He's new to the family business and I believe it would benefit him enormously to be in a decoy relationship. A relationship with someone respectable, preferably. That's why I thought of you." Itachi explains briskly.

Sasuke wasn't sure whether he should be impressed or disturbed by how businesslike Itachi was being by the whole situation. Sighing quietly, he places his hand on Itachi's thigh underneath the table.

He knew that the move might come off as clingy, but Sasuke just didn't care. The college graduate NEED reassurance from his lover that all would be well. Desperately.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sasuke." Haku says with a charming smile.

Well Sasuke couldn't lie. The man was beautiful. There was an elegance to him and those eyes were stunning. Itachi had found him a gorgeous decoy.

Of course, Itachi was in a completely different league. No one would ever be more beautiful to Sasuke than Itachi was though. So that wasn't a fair standard to judge Haku by.

"Likewise. Have you ever done something like this before? Pretended to be someone's boyfriend?" The younger Uchiha Brother asks softly.

Haku quietly laughs. It was a melodious sound. Sasuke liked it. He didn't think that he'd have a hard time pretending to like the other man, really.

"No. I can't say that I have. I'm a doctor though. So I'm very good at hiding my true emotions. One has to remain calm around your patients at all times, after all. Bedside manner often overlaps with acting." Haku tells him with a wink.

"What would you get out of this though?" Sasuke asks.

Haku was an attractive man. Surely, he had real romantic prospects. He didn't need to be in a pretend relationship. So why would Haku consent to such a thing?

Itachi shakes his head at Sasuke causing to feel like a kid that got caught with his hands in the cookie jar. He feels his face burn bright pink in embarrassment. Oh well. The question had already been asked. So he was going to get an answer.

"Sasuke." Itachi chides him gently.

"No. No. It's a fair question. Itachi has agreed to make a rather generous donation to my hospital in exchange for pretending to be your lover. I don't see the harm in it. It only benefits me for others to think that I have landed myself a "prince" so to speak. The hospital is going to benefit enormously and as you live on another continent, it won't take up much of my time." The doctor explains.

Oh. Well when Haku put it like that, it made perfect sense. Sasuke just nods in agreement.

"You'll have to excuse my foolish little brother. He favors a rather blunt style of communication." The Dragon informs Haku.

"Oh there's nothing to be excused. Were I in his position, I would have asked the same question. Think nothing of it." The doe eyed man states as he wave his hand as if to dismiss Itachi's concerns.

Itachi smiles and nods. Haku was just confirming his theory. The man would be a suitable decoy for Sasuke. The only concern that he had was that Sasuke mind end up liking Haku a little too much.

Oh he knew his brother. Sasuke was honorable. He wouldn't stray. He might break up with him to pursue a less complicated relationship though.

"Do you agree to our terms then? You are never to speak of this arrangement to anyone else though." Itachi insists as he squeezes Sasuke's thigh comfortingly.

Sasuke shoots him a smile. Itachi understood what he wanted. It was amazing, how well the other man could read him. Disturbing in some ways really.

Part of him still couldn't believe that he was doing this. The other part was giddy that the plan looked like it was going to work. It was a confusing feeling to say the least. His heart and mind constantly at war with one another.

"I agree and don't worry. I'm a doctor. We understand patient confidentiality. Well perhaps patient might not be the best term in this case, but anyway we do understand the need for discretion." Haku says with a serene smile.

"Good. Thank you, Haku." Sasuke says with a smile of his own.

"Wonderful. I'm afraid that we must be going. We wouldn't want to miss our flight." The elder Uchiha says as he beckons Sasuke to join him.

"That's true. It was nice meeting you, Haku." Sasuke says as the brothers leave the doctor's home and head off.

Once they were in the car, Itachi leans over and kisses Sasuke rather heatedly. It didn't take long for Sasuke to to return the kiss. It took an even shorter amount of time to find himself moaning into it.

"You have to be the most jealous man that I've met. You're lucky that it's kinda hot." The other Uchiha whispers, after breaking the kiss.

"I know. I'm very lucky. We'll see about that. I imagine that you won't be too happy, when we meet Utakata. Dragons are possessive and hoarders by nature." Itachi reasons as he drives them towards the airport.

Sasuke frowns as he considers what Itachi said. Dragons. He was talking about the Sharingan Dragons. Sadly, Sasuke had no idea what he was going to do about his family business.

It did seem to be optional, but Itachi would clearly prefer him to join them. Did he really want to be involved in a criminal organization though? Maybe, he could just work on the more legitimate side of the business?

"Don't frown so much, Sasuke. You'll get frown lines and a beautiful face like yours really shouldn't be frowning anyway." Itachi comments as they continue on their journey.

"Cute, Itachi. Truly." Sasuke says and with that, he proceeds to roll his eyes.

Only Itachi could make him moan without a care for modesty one minute and want to smack him the next. Sasuke sighs as he looks at the European countryside that was passing them by and he ponders his taboo relationship with the other man. Only a year ago, Sasuke never would have contemplated such a thing. Things were different now though.

He was truly, madly, and deeply in love with the infuriatingly perfect being sitting only a few feet away from him. He had to be a Masochist. That was the only logical explanation. How else could Sasuke had fallen for the one person that society would never understand him loving?

"Yes, I certainly thought so." Itachi says and with that, they arrive at the airport.

Maybe that was a bit of a stretch. There were likely a handful of people that society would have frowned on more, but not many. He sighs as he gets out of the car and heads towards the plane with Itachi.

He smiles and glances at him. Well he supposed what society didn't know, wouldn't hurt them. How could he possibly resist his Fallen Angel?

"That's better. No more frowns." Itachi states as places his hand around Sasuke's waist and the two of them board their flight.

Meanwhile Madara and Izuna were in their office. The two of them were strategizing about the best way to deal with Kaguya. Preferably, they would find a way to do so without the rest of their family.

"You're dating a cop. We have more than enough on her to get that bitch locked up for good." Madara reasons.

"I'm not risking Tobirama's life like that. Besides, she has just as much on us as we do on her. If it was that easy to get rid of that woman, someone else would have done it a long time ago." Izuna replies.

Madara sighs. That was certainly true. Kaguya wouldn't be an easy woman to kill, but they obviously would have to.

No matter what his family members finally decided, they were marked now. There as certainly no way that he was going to allow that woman to threaten his family. He was a Dragon. Dragons protected their own.

"On the bright side, this is good scotch." Madara comments absentmindedly.

"Top notch, scotch?" He hears a feminine voice ask as Mikoto walks into the room with Fugaku.

Madara and Izuna give Fugaku a dirty look. The man must have mentioned how their father used to say that whenever he was dealing with difficult Sharingan Dragon business. The man had certainly loved his scotch.

Really, it was a bit of a tradition to enjoy a bottle of scotch with another Dragon as you decided on something like this. The fact that Mikoto was aware of that was more than a little disturbing really.

"I can't believe that you told her that." Madara says with a dramatic sigh.

"There really shouldn't be any secrets between a man and his wife." Fugaku says with a shrug.

He couldn't remember half of what he said to Mikoto after their lovemaking sessions most of the time. His brain tended to shut off and he'd just indulge in being close to her. Apparently, his Kitten had no problem taking advantage of this fact.

"That's why I am so happy that I prefer men." Izuna says with a dramatic sigh.

"And I'm happy that I'm single." Madara adds, nodding his head in agreement.

Mikoto and Fugaku shake their heads in amusement. It was such a Madara and Izuna response. The two of them often finished each other's sentences. In some ways, the two men couldn't be more different. In other ways, it was shocking that they weren't actually identical twins.

"That's very nice. Now what the Hell is going on?" Mikoto demands.

"Mikoto, I'm surprised. I've never seen you this aggressive before. So this is why our Fugaku was so besotted. Aggression can be a very attractive trait in a partner, if carefully deployed." Izuna muses as he pours himself another glass of the scotch.

"Yes, that's my wife. She's right though. What is going on and don't tell me that something isn't going on. You're being evasive. That's what you do whenever something bad has happened." Fugaku insists.

Madara sighs and glances at Izuna. He really didn't want to drag the happy couple into this, if it wasn't absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, it seemed as though they were dragging themselves into it.

"We may as well tell them. You know what a determined pup Fugaku can be." Izuna concedes.

"You are aware of our business dealings with Kaguya, Fugaku?" Madara inquires.

"The Governor? Yes, I'm aware." Fugaku says and Mikoto raises an eyebrow.

What was a Governor doing with the Sharingan Dragons? They were one of the oldest crime families around. No politician should get within five feet of any of them. It would be suicidal.

"Mikoto, you're adorably naïve. You don't seriously think that an organization such as ours would last this long without approval from The Powers That Be, do you?" Izuna asks with a deceptively charming smile.

That did explain a lot. The Dragons had disturbing longevity. If they had some sort of arrangement with government officials to look the other way, it would certainly benefit them. Though the mother of two wasn't sure what the government would get out of it.

"That makes sense. I know enough about that woman to realize she wouldn't look the other way, if she didn't get something out of her association with your family. What did you give her?" She demands.

"Oh this and that. That's not the problem though. She has caught wind of the fact that we have two Dragons considering leaving. Two important Dragons. Fugaku and Izuna." Madara explains.

Mikoto flinches. Damn it. She had been stupid. Why had she thought that Fugaku could just walk away that easily?

"Yes, I can see that you're beginning to understand the nature of dilemma. She says that she wishes to ensure that the people who will replace them are up to the task. That's obviously a lie though. She's likely plotting our demise as we speak." Madara says casually as if he was discussing the weather.

"That means we are going to have to launch a preemptive strike." Fugaku says.

"Precisely. Fortunately, Itachi and Sasuke are out of the country. If we attack now, they won't get caught up in it. Mikoto, Fugaku, the two of you should leave the state at the very least for awhile. We'll contact you when this is all sorted out." Izuna says smoothly.

Fugaku's eyes narrow. He wasn't going to leave them behind and go hide. That and he knew the truth. If somehow Kaguya survived, she would come after Itachi and Sasuke next.

"I'm sorry, Kitten. I have to stay. I can't just leave them here. If she lives, she'll come after our sons later on." He says.

"It's alright. I understand. You're going to show me how to shoot a gun, by the way." She informs him.

"What?!" Fugaku demands as he looks at his wife as if she had grown another head.

Mikoto hated weapons. She despised violence. If it wasn't hand to hand fighting like martial arts, she abhorred it really. Those were definitely not words that he had ever expected to escape her lips.

"I said that I want you to teach me how to shoot. If she's eventually going to come after our sons, I'd rather put a bullet in her before she does. I know her type. She's likely done her homework. She knows our family. She knows that I don't have a license to carry. If it comes down to it, she won't expect me to be armed. Sometimes a handgun is all you need." She says.

"The woman would have made a damn fine Dragon. Alright, I suppose with that in mind we should come up with an actual plan." Madara says.

Three days later, Itachi and Sasuke were in Italy. The younger Uchiha knew that he should be happy. He was on a romantic get away in Italy with his lover, but instead he felt like he was going to be sick.

Today was the day that he would meet Utakata face to face. He was going to meet his "replacement," so to speak. Itachi was right. The elder Uchiha was far from the only possessive Dragon in the family.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with us. My brother and I have decided that the only way we'll ever get any peace of mind is for the press to think that we are both in monogamous relationships. Sasuke is new to the public eye, but I'm not. I've quite tired of being stalked every time I go out. A decoy lover would suit my needs just fine." Itachi says as he pours them all a glass of wine.

"Hmm. That is an interesting idea. It might even prove successful. I suppose the question that is weighing on my mind most heavily is why me? That and what would I get out of such an agreement? You can't get something for nothing, as Americans say." The handsome youth replies.

Sasuke's eyes narrow. This man wasn't like Haku. Whether it was a façade or not, he wasn't sure. At the very least, Utakata was projecting the image of a cynic though. The youngest Uchiha just wasn't sure if said projection was intentional or not.

Maybe, it was just the jealousy talking though. He had only met him five minutes ago. It might be a bit premature to judge him.

"Those are certainly fair questions. You're young. You're attractive. You're successful. That and you're from Europe. The press wouldn't expect us to see each other that much. I would assist your wine company in its business ventures. Sharingan Corporation is very good about partnering with other companies to produce lucrative results for everyone involved." Itachi replies calmly.

"You're a flatterer. While I appreciate it, I'm more interested in the business partnership that you are offering. I trust you've already drafted a proposal?" He inquires.

Itachi nods and hands Utakata a folder. Sasuke blinks. He couldn't believe that Itachi had already come up with some sort of business proposal. When did he have time?

"Hmm. I will need to look this over of course. It does seem like an intriguing offer though. Tentatively, I say yes. It will depend on if this agreement is suitable or if we can achieve one that is." He says.

"Of course. Thank you for your time. Sasuke, we should head back to our hotel. The hour is growing very late." Itachi says as he stands up and Sasuke nods, following his brother's lead.

"It was nice meeting you." Sasuke lies as he heads off with Itachi.

It didn't take the two of them very long to get back to their room. Sasuke locks the door behind them and promptly shoves Itachi onto the bed. Almost before the other man could blink, the younger Uchiha was straddling his waist.

"Mmm I knew that I wouldn't be the only one to get jealous." Itachi taunts him.

"Just shut up and kiss me." Sasuke tells him as he presses his lips against his lover's.

Itachi smirks as he returns the kiss. The elder Uchiha had no issue doing exactly that. He had no issue doing that and a whole lot more. The two Dragons spent the rest of the night together in the way that only lovers could.

Meanwhile Izuna sighs as he heads towards the lake. He knew that Tobirama would be there. His Snowy Owl was nothing, if not responsible and punctual.

"You look like a man with the weight of the world on your shoulders." He hears a familiar voice say.

"That's because I am. I wanted to leave. I still might, but I need to wrap up a few loose ends first. One of them is a very dangerous loose end." He admits as he walks over and wraps his arms around his former lover.

Tobirama frowns. That was certainly not the greeting that he was hoping for. Sadly, he knew Izuna. He wouldn't joke about something like this.

"Who is it? Is it a rival gang? I can help you, Izuna. I might not be as young as I used to be, but I can still shoot as good as I could at 20." He promises him.

"Well I certainly hope that you mean that in more ways than one." Izuna says with a smile and a seductive purr.

"Izuna, don't try to distract me. I want to know what is going on and I want to know now. We've kept too many secrets from each other over the years. It's a bad habit. One that we need to break." He states firmly.

Izuna sighs and nods. Tobirama was right. He owed him the truth. This might very well be the last night that he'd ever see him again. He didn't want anything to be left unsaid. He'd had a lifetime of that.

"Kaguya has partnered with the Dragons in the past. She is aware that I was thinking about leaving and another important Dragon. She isn't pleased about this. Of course, she is feigning concern. Kaguya wants to ensure that the people who take our place are competent. Well at least that's what she's telling us." He states.

Tobirama glances at Izuna warily. The Governor? The Governor was involved with the Sharingan Dragons?

That certainly explained a lot. They always managed to slither out of prison at the last minute. They had friends in high places, it seemed. Well at least they HAD friends in high places.

"You don't believe her though?" He inquires.

"No. She's likely going to try to take us all out and start over from scratch. You may not like the Dragons, Tobirama. We do perform an important role though. We are powerful enough that the other gangs and criminal organizations will only go so far. That's one of the reasons why the crime rate has decreased. No one really wants to stand against a Dragon." Izuna says with a smirk.

"I suppose that's true. What are you going to do about her? She could turn all of you in." Tobirama says with a frown.

Izuna shakes his head. Kaguya couldn't do that. Both sides had far too much dirt on each other, for such a move not to be one of mutual destruction.

"She can't. We have things on her that she wouldn't want to become public knowledge. It is likely going to be a gang fight though. You deserve to know the truth. There is a chance that I won't survive and if that happens, I want you to know how much I regret letting so many years slip away. That and you were the only man that I ever loved, who wasn't part of my family." The raven haired man says as he caresses Tobirama's cheek.

"I feel the same way about you. I'm going to help you though. I don't care that you're still a Dragon at the moment. I'm not going to let some greedy politician put you down like a dog." The snowy haired man replies.

Izuna smiles. That was his Snowy Owl. He was always so protective. How he had missed him.

"Are you certain? You can not call your fellow officers to help you in this instance. It will be you, me, the Dragons against whatever force Kaguya musters." He whispers.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life. If I don't get to spend the rest of my life with you, I can at least die with you. It's morbidly romantic in a way, don't you think?" Tobirama asks.

This causes the Dragon to smile. God, did he love this man. He loved him with everything he had. He had just been forced to choose between familial love and romantic love.

He loved his family and he loved Tobirama. If they all survived this, he could only hope that he wouldn't be forced to choose again. It would break him.

"I suppose that's one way of looking at it." Izuna agrees with a wistful smile.

"Well this might very well be our last night on Earth. I say that we make the most of it." Tobirama says as he offers Izuna his hand.

Izuna smiles. Only Tobirama could cause him to smile at a time like this. There was at least a fifty percent chance that he would never see his next birthday. That didn't matter though.

Not when Tobirama was looking at him in the way he used to. With love in his eyes. His beautiful eyes that he hadn't seen look at him without sadness or bitterness in decades.

"I think that's a fine idea. Though we should take care not to exhaust each other too thoroughly. We will need some energy for the battle." He says with a teasingly smile and with that, the two men head off.

Tobirama sighs as he glances at Izuna, leading him towards his home. They could both very well die tomorrow, but at least they had today. Maybe that would be enough.

He knew that was a foolish thought. He'd never get enough of Izuna. Still it was a nice thought. The Chief of Police tries to dispel such unpleasant thoughts from his head though as he locks the door behind them.

"If we only have today, we had best make it count." Tobirama whispers.

"My thoughts exactly, Snowy." Izuna says with a sly smile as he kisses his lover and the two forget the rest of the world for a few precious hours.


	19. Chapter 19

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy the battle chapter.

Chapter 19

The next day, Kaguya smirks as she convenes a meeting of all the major gang leaders in the state. It was rather poetic in a way, rallying all of the Kingdom to slay some Dragons. She pauses for a moment before she begins her speech.

"It seems the Sharingan Dragons have grown weak. They're about to lose two of their leaders. A rudderless ship is a dangerous ship. That is why I have called you here today. I hope that you will join me in taking care of this problem. Whoever kills Madara, Izuna, or Fugaku will be rewarded handsomely." The elderly woman explains.

Gaara was grateful at the moment that the markings around his eyes were permanent. He was a chronic insomniac and he was also the leader of the Irish Gang. For the moment though, he was content to let Kaguya continue her sermon.

There were murmurs of agreement. Not surprisingly, everyone was eager to curry favor with the Governor. She could keep you out of prison and there was likely big money to be made from this grisly venture.

"Excellent. We will attack Madara's home at three in the morning. Whether they are night owls or early risers, that's an awkward hour for most people. It will give us an advantage." The Governor reasons.

"Madara's Estate has a special security system. You can't get in without a fingerprint scan." Gaara points out.

"I'm in the system. There are benefits to being in a business relationship with the Sharingan Dragons. Well at least there were. Now they're too chaotic to bother with. Does everyone understand the plan?" She asks.

Kaguya smirks when there were murmurs of confirmation. Excellent. It would now be a simple matter to take out the Dragons.

After all, you killed a snake by cutting off their head. Madara, Izuna, and Fugaku were the heads. She didn't need to take out all of the Dragons. She just needed to take out them.

"Then this meeting is adjourned. I shall see you at the Amaterasu at 3." She says and with that, she quickly departs.

Once the meeting was dismissed, Gaara quickly heads back to his home. He takes out a disposable cell phone and calls his cousin. Sasori.

"Sasori, the bitch is about to make a move. Kaguya has ordered quite the impressive coalition of gang members. At 3 A.M., we are going to attack the Amaterasu. You should warn Itachi and gather the Akatsuki, if possible." Gaara says.

"She had to pick now to attack. Didn't she? Kaguya just had to strike while Itachi and Sasuke were in Europe." Sasori mutters in irritation.

"Yes, that was most inconsiderate of her. She should have timed her assassination attempts better." Gaara replies dryly.

Sasori snorts in amusement. That was his cousin, alright. The gang leader had a rather sarcastic sense of humor.

"Indeed. She should have. I'll get in touch with Itachi. Thank you. You may have just saved my friend's life." Sasori says as he hangs up quickly.

Meanwhile Fugaku was in the process of teaching his Kitten how to use a gun. He couldn't believe that he was doing this. He also couldn't believe that she was learning so quickly.

"Yes, I think that it's a good thing that you didn't teach her how to use one before the divorce." Madara observes in amusement.

While Mikoto wasn't hitting the dead center of her targets yet, she was at least hitting the targets and getting closer. The woman was a fast learner.

"Thank you." Mikoto says as she fires off another shot.

Tobirama and Izuna slowly approach the small family. Neither of them wanted to startle someone who was just learning how to shoot. That would only end in disaster. Once Mikoto had emptied her clip, the two lovers decided to make their presence known.

"What's HE doing here?" Madara demands as he notices Tobirama.

"I told you that I was considering leaving the Dragons for him. He is going to assist us in this fight." Izuna says with a smile.

Madara twitches. It was one thing for Izuna to leave the Sharingan Dragons for love. It was another for him to expect a police officer to join them in what at best was going to be an assassination. At worst, it was going to be an all out gang war.

"You've clearly become lovers again. I presume that Tobirama was the dominant one. Surely, that must be the case. You've obviously had your brains screwed out of you." Madara mutters in annoyance.

"Well actually, we prefer variety. It's a more egalitarian relationship in that way." Izuna says cheerfully.

"Oh Dear Lord. Baby brother, I do not need to know the details of your love life. Tobirama, are you certain you want to go through with this? We are going to taking Kaguya out. If this goes poorly, it could ruin you. Not that I particularly care what happens to you, but it is a matter of honor to warn you." Madara states.

Tobirama glares at Madara. Oh how he reviled this man. This was the man responsible for stealing his Angel away for all those years.

"Honor and you are two words that I would never associate together. I am ready though. I'm not going to let this witch kill him." The cop retorts.

Fugaku sighs. If there was one thing that was never going to change, it was the fact that Madara and Tobirama loathed each other. In a way, it was only natural. They both wanted to be Izuna's most precious person, just in different ways.

"Children. Children, if you are done with your bickering we have a war to win here." The other Uchiha says.

Tobirama and Madara glare at each other. After a rather tense moment, the snowy haired man kisses Izuna's cheek and sighs. If he wanted to protect his lover, he would have to fight alongside his brother.

"I'm doing this for you. Not for him." He says.

"I understand that. I love you both. I hope that one day the two of you will at least be able to tolerate each other." Izuna says with a sweet smile.

"Pft. Pigs will fly before that day. Alright. Someone get Mikoto more ammo. She needs more practice and then let us begin our plans to deal with Kaguya." Madara states with a wicked smirk.

At about half past 2 A.M, Sasuke and Itachi arrive back at Amaterasu. The younger Uchiha was still processing the fact that Itachi had gotten a call from Sasori and that the red head believed a Governor was going to order a hit on their family.

"He could be wrong though, right?" Sasuke asks.

"I doubt it. Sasori has always been a reliable source of information in the past. We need to warn them." Itachi says as he heads towards Madara's room with Sasuke following behind him.

Once they found it, the elder Uchiha brother knocks on the door. Madara opens it almost immediately. That was one of Madara's most impressive qualities really. He could be dead asleep one moment and be fully awake the next.

"Itachi, Sasuke, you're both home early." The elderly Uchiha observes with a small trace of panic in his voice.

"Judging by your tone, I think that you know what we do. I got a tip. Kaguya will be planning an attack soon. Whether she'll favor a hit and run assassination or a gang war, I'm uncertain. Either way, we weren't going to leave you all here to face her alone." Itachi informs him.

"You two should have stayed in Europe. It would have been safer, but I can't deny that it does bring me great joy to see that all of the family will be fighting alongside each other. Sadly, Tobirama and Izuna have reconciled. So the cop will be assisting us as well." He mutters.

Sasuke shakes his head. He really didn't think that now was the time to be holding old grudges. From what he had heard about Kaguya, they would need all the help that they could get.

"Itachi also contacted some of his friends. He calls them the Akatsuki. If it comes to a gang war, it would be better to have more people here. How many Dragons can you muster and how quickly?" Sasuke asks.

"I can get a hundred here by dawn." Madara answers.

"Good. You start working on that. I don't think Sasori would have contacted us so quickly, if the attack wasn't imminent. I'm going to tell mother, father, and Izuna that we're back." Sasuke says as he darts off to do exactly that.

Itachi smirks. Sasuke was so cute when he got bossy. Well then again, there were few times when the Dragon didn't think of the other man as adorable or sexy.

"I must be rubbing off on him. He's far more assertive now." Madara muses proudly.

"You mean that he's becoming more bossy." Itachi observes and Madara grumbles in response.

Just then, the Akatsuki arrive. Konan presses her fingertips to the scanner and the eight members swiftly head inside. The woman glances around as they continue their trek inside the massive mansion. After all, she didn't want her companions to start blowing stuff up. Well at least yet.

"Looks like we're early. Yeah?" Deidara says excitedly.

"Deidara, don't be stupid. The fighting hasn't started yet. Save your explosions for now." Sasori mutters in irritation.

The man was like a child sometimes. Unfortunately, he was far from the only eccentric member of the Akatsuki. Hidan would likely try to make some sacrifices to his God. Kisame was well Kisame. Really the only normal ones left were Pain and Konan.

Itachi was an unofficial member and Madara had had left years ago to focus on leading the Sharingan Dragons. Not to mention Zetsu had disappeared several months back.

"HONEY, WE'RE FUCKING HOME!" Hidan calls out once they were inside the mansion.

That promptly gets all of the Uchihas' attention. Izuna could only sigh and shake his head at the man's antics. Honestly, did they have to be so dramatic?

"Good. We've come up with a plan." Izuna says and he begins to brief the Akatsuki members..

Sadly, Izuna only made it about halfway through his explanation when he hears the gates open again. Damn it. Not now! Kaguya had made her move first.

"Remember the heads. Kill everyone else that you can, but you know your priority." Kaguya says as she leads the gangs inside the grand home.

 **Warning Battle Scene**

"Well it looks like the party is about to start." Kisame says with a smirk as he charges towards some of the new gang members.

Sasuke shakes his head and decides his brother has some insane friends as he starts shooting. He wasn't going to charge straight into the fray like an idiot or an animal. Though considering Kisame looked like a shark, maybe it was appropriate that he acted like one.

The sounds of gunshots ringing soon could be heard. That and screams or grunts of pain. Fists were soon flying. Chaos broke out.

"Stay next to me." Itachi says as he gets behind Sasuke.

It was important to protect his back. That was an easy way to kill someone in a close range gunfight. Sasuke had never been in a fight like this before. Itachi was going to make sure that he survived it.

Kaguya smirks once she found Madara. It was a shame that he had allowed his family to become so wayward. He was now a liability though. Liabilities had to be dealt with.

"I'm truly sorry that it's come to this." She says as points her gun at the man.

"I'm not. You've always been a power hungry witch. It benefited me to work with you, before you lost your sanity." Madara says.

He was about to fire on her when a group of gang members surrounded him. Damn it. If he fought them off, Kaguya would kill him. If he shot at her, they'd still have a go at him.

"HEY! I'm the only one allowed to kill him!" Tobirama says as he slams his fist into the woman's back.

A sickening crack is heard as Kaguya screams in pain. For a moment, there was stunned silence. It didn't last for long though.

"You're going to pay for that!" Kaguya hisses as she rises to her feet and now several guns were trained on Tobirama and Madara.

"Alright, Deidara. You can do it now!" Sasori tells the overly eager blonde.

Deidara smirks and throws a grenade at the crowd. It hurt some of them, but it mostly created smoke and a chance for the two men to escape. Art was an explosion!

"Yeah!" He calls out excitedly.

"Madara! Tobirama!" Izuna calls out desperately as he slams his elbow into one of the gang members.

He had to get to his brother and his lover. He had to protect them. Izuna couldn't lose them. The Dragon couldn't lose either of them!

"I didn't know that grandpas could be gang leaders!" One of the hired thugs says as he grabs Izuna by the arm and snaps it.

"You really should respect your elders more." Izuna retorts as he snarls in pain and spits in the man's face, before slamming his foot where no man wants to be kicked.

"I love that man." Tobirama says proudly as he tries his best to defend himself against the other gang members who were coming at him.

Fugaku's eyes narrow as he trades blows with a Mexican Mob leader. He was good and only half his age. That gave him some advantages, but there was something to be said for experience.

He allows the man to hit him in the face and while he was riding high off that victory, Fugaku steals his gun and shoots him straight in the chest. The man fell over dead, before he even realized what had happened.

"Are you alright, My Love?" Fugaku asks his wife.

They were fighting back to back. Like his eldest son, he wasn't going to leave his lover's back vulnerable. That was too easy of a place to be attacked.

"I'm fine." She says as she hurls another punch at a woman who came at her.

She probably shouldn't have said that because her friend quickly came for a secondary attack. A bullet grazes her shoulder and Mikoto hisses in pain.

"That was rather foolish of you, Fugaku. You brought your pretty little ex to the fight and your youngest son. Tell me, is Sasuke even a Dragon?" Kaguya inquires sweetly.

Somehow she had made her way over to the couple. Kaguya was hunched slightly. It was more likely than not that Tobirama had managed to break or at least crack a bone.

"DIE! YOU STUBBORN, BASTARD!" Kisame calls out as he slams another fighter into the wall.

His skull cracked instantly and blood splattered everywhere. Kisame smirks. Oh yeah. Now this was officially a party.

That's when a sickening boom was heard and the sound of a dying man pierces through the air. A man with white and black skin fell over. One word escaped his lips before he completely faded into oblivion.

"Mother!" That was all he could say before the light faded from his eyes.

"YOU KILLED MY SON!" Kaguya shrieks like a banshee as she forgets about the couple and charges at Kakuzu.

Her fury was so great and the shots were fired so swiftly from her gun, that Kakuzu fell over to the ground before anyone truly knew what was going on. His body was littered with bullet wounds. Kaguya wouldn't stop though. She kept firing at the now dead Akatsuki member.

"Normally, I would offer my condolences. This is a special case though. If given the option, you would have killed the father of my children. So I can't find it in my to feel pity for you." Mikoto snarls at the other woman as she fires off a bullet.

Kaguya somehow mostly managed to dodge. The bullet grazes her side though. Her normally pristine white shirt now had a rapidly growing patch of crimson red staining it.

"When did you learn how to use a gun? I've watched you for years. You've never used it before." Kaguya demands as she whirls around to face Mikoto.

"Last night. I guess this is the part where we pull each other's hair." The other woman replies.

Kaguya's rage was so great, that she was able to knock the gun out of Mikoto's hands. It was now a flurry of punches and kicks.

Kaguya may have been old, but she was an experienced fighter. Not only that,, she was a grieving mother. That meant that they were evenly matched. Neither woman seemed able to deliver the final blow.

Sasuke's eyes widen in horror. His mother was now fighting the psychotic Governor. He had to help her.

Without thinking about it, he races over and throws his punch. He aims it directly at Kaguya's face from the side. She was too distracted by her opponent to notice his arrival.

"AHHHH! YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Kaguya screams as a sickening crack is heard.

"Breaking someone's cheek. Congratulations, little brother. I would say that's Kage level." Itachi calls out as he darts over towards them.

He wasn't going to let the woman get off that easily. She had attacked his family. Kaguya had to pay. With that thought in mind, he slams his foot down on her neck.

"I told you that I'd do it!" Sasuke says smugly and he was about to try to send the woman off into the afterlife.

Kaguya screams in pain. Desperately, she reaches for Mikoto's gun. She was going to kill all of them. Despite the boot on her neck, the Governor manages to fire off a single shot.

She smirks and fires it off straight into his stomach. Sasuke screams in agony and falls over. A crimson red liquid now pouring out of the stomach wound.

"Sasuke!" Itachi and Fugaku both cry out at the same time.

"He needs a doctor!" Gaara says and with that declaration, he runs over to the fallen Uchiha.

"Oh he's going to need more than a doctor when I'm done with him. He's going to need a mortician!" Kaguya says with a smirk.

Mikoto slams the other woman into the ground. A mother's rage was a thing of fury, but so was a father's. It didn't take Fugaku long to join his wife.

"I'll get him to a doctor." Gaara promises to Itachi as he scoops Sasuke up and begins carrying him off.

As he does so, he fires off one shot at Kaguya. That witch had ordered his father to be assassinated, many years ago. He had been a Senator who had decided to run for Governor. Kaguya couldn't allow him to win, so she had him killed.

"I've been waiting for years to do that." Gaara whispers to Sasuke, who could only groan in response as the red head continues carrying him towards safety.

The bullet goes flying and manages to strike one of Kaguya's hands as she goes to punch either Mikoto or Fugaku. At this point, she didn't care which. When the bullet flies straight through her hand though, she screams in pure agony.

"I'll do it." Madara says as he approaches the couple and Kaguya.

He could see that Mikoto and Fugaku had given Kaguya two black eyes. Her lip was busted up. There were bruises covering her body.

Though Kaguya was a Hellcat. Fugaku and Mikoto hadn't escaped unscathed either. They were bleeding in several places from bite marks?! The woman was truly insane.

"You really shouldn't have come after my family. Do you know how annoying it is going to be to be in Tobirama's debt?" He says with a sigh.

"GO TO HELL!" She snarls at him.

"I probably will eventually, but ladies first." Madara says as he fires off the kill shot, once Mikoto and Fugaku were out of the way.

The shot struck true. It pierce straight through her skull and into her brain. Kaguya's body went limp almost instantly.

"YOU ALL HAVE A CHOICE! You can either go now, keep your mouths shut, and live…or die." Sasori calls out.

"That was very dramatic. Well done, Sasori." Pain observes as he and his wife continue fighting against some of the more aggressive gang members.

"Hey! That just ain't right. You were ruining his badassery!" Hidan states, firing off more shots at the remaining fighters.

Most of the gang members try to flee. Unfortunately for them, Madara Uchiha was not the type of man who appreciated leaving loose ends. As they were fleeing, he has the remaining Akatsuki Members shoot them in the back.

 **End Battle Scene**

"Why'd you have them killed?" Mikoto asks as she watches the surviving gang members be shot in the back as they tried to flee the scene.

"I couldn't risk them snitching on us. Disposing of all these bodies is going to be rather annoying though." Madara says.

"Sasuke! We have to get to Sasuke! He was shot!" Itachi says in a panicked voice.

Sasori places his hand on Itachi's shoulder comfortingly. He knew how much the man cared about his brother. The man would be a wreck until he knew that Sasuke was safe.

"Gaara will see to it that he is taken to the hospital. We should all head there. It's the closest place. Lock up the Estate. No one can get into this place without fingerprints. The bodies will be safe here for now." The red head says.

"That's a good point. Izuna, My Angel, are you alright?" Tobirama asks him.

"I have a broken arm, but I dare say that I got off rather lightly compared to some of our friends. Thank goodness for patient confidentiality. Most of us need to see a doctor, anyway." The Uchiha man says.

Madara sighs and realizes that he couldn't argue with that. They had lost one Akatsuki Member. Several of their people had been grazed by bullets. There were also broken bones, split lips, black eyes, and other bruises. Not to mention it was going to take forever to get all that blood out of his carpet!

"You're right. A visit to the hospital is in order." Madara says and with that, the group heads out of the mansion.

Madara swiftly locks up the estate and they all get in their respective vehicle. It wouldn't take long to get to the hospital. That was a damn good thing because some of their injuries were rather serous.

"Itachi, he's going to be okay. Sasuke is a Dragon, after all." Fugaku whispers to his son as he drives them off.

Itachi was riding with him and Mikoto. He knew that his eldest son was utterly devastated by the fact that Sasuke had been critically injured.

"I hope you're right. God, I hope you're right." Itachi whispers.

The alternative was too horrific to contemplate. He couldn't imagine life without Sasuke. Life without his adorably huffy kitten would be just mere survival.

It would go from being one filled with color to an endless sea of gray. Itachi knew that it such an outcome would utterly break him. Sasuke had to live. He just had to.


	20. Chapter 20

Innocence

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy the final chapter of _**Innocence**_. For those of you interested, feel free to check out my other stories. There will likely be some new ones coming up in the near future as well.

Chapter 20

A year later, the Uchiha Family and their closest associates were attending Gaara's victory party. After Kaguya's death, the red head had run for Governor and had pulled an upset victory. No one had seen it coming.

The victory had turned him into quite the celebrity for obvious reasons. He was probably the only Governor under thirty in the country, after all. There were even whispers that he might run for president in another decade or so.

"Congratulations, Governor Sabaku." Haku says with a serene smile as he stands next to Sasuke.

Haku really was the perfect decoy boyfriend. He was kind, well mannered, attractive, intelligent, and comfortable in all sorts of social situations. It didn't matter if it was a political event or just a casual family dinner. The man was just adaptable.

"Thank you. Though you may both call me Gaara." The Governor says with a smile.

"Gaara, it is then." Sasuke says with a smile of his own as he glances back at Itachi.

Itachi was standing next to Utakata. The businessman was just that. There was something very regal and intimidating about him. Sasuke still didn't particularly like Utakata, but the man had kept his end of the deal.

"I hear that congratulations are in order for you as well. You were recently promoted?" Gaara inquires politely.

Honestly, the youngest Dragon doubted that he was ever going to care for anyone that was "dating" Itachi though. Sasuke didn't believe in lying to himself.

So he wouldn't. He might be less vocal about it, but he was just as possessive as his brother. It seemed to run in the family.

"Yes, Izuna decided to retire. He's rekindled an old flame. Tobirama and my great uncle want to fully enjoy their twilight years together. He didn't want to let something like work get in the way of that." Sasuke says slyly.

It was the truth. Tobirama and Izuna were now practically inseparable. This of course, irritated Madara to no end. Thankfully, the eldest Dragon did little more than grumble and growl about the situation though.

Sasuke was grateful for that. The last thing that anyone wanted was for Madara and Izuna to clash. Now those two, were REAL Dragons. There was a battle that would result in loss of life, limb, and property.

"Oh that's a very romantic notion." The governor offers and Sasuke nods his head in agreement.

It had been a year since the final battle with Kaguya. Sasuke had recovered from his injuries and mercifully, his relationship with Itachi was still a secret. That and they had made some friends.

Haku, Gaara, and some members of the Akatsuki were nice to have around. Sasuke really could have lived without Utakata, but other than that he had nothing to complain about. He supposed in an odd way, it made sense that Dragons would be friends with other gang members/former gang members.

"Yes, it is." Sasuke replies as he nods his head in agreement.

A couple years ago, Sasuke never would have imagined that he would be leading the life that he led now. He was in a romantic relationship with Itachi. His parents had remarried. One of his Great Uncles had reconnected with his long lost love. He had helped a former gang member become Governor. Oh and his other Great Uncle was still the leader of one of the largest and oldest criminal organizations in the world. It was all still a bit surreal sometimes.

Sasuke was now a Dragon. Perhaps that was to be expected. Itachi was a Dragon. Naturally, he was going to follow in his lover's footsteps. What surprised him most though was when Mikoto joined.

"Mmm so are we still thinking Hawaii for our Honeymoon?" Mikoto asks as she dances with Fugaku.

"That sounds perfect to me. I'm sorry that our Honeymoon was partially delayed. It just didn't seem right to miss the man's victory party though. He did save Sasuke's life." Her husband replies as he twirls her around the dance floor.

Mikoto nods. That was true. She didn't know, if she'd ever be able to repay Gaara for saving her baby's life. It seemed that delaying their Honeymoon by a couple of days was really the least that they could do.

After all, the Sharingan Corporation was known far and wide. It would only benefit Gaara's political career to be seen with so many influential people. That ought to get him more support when he ran for reelection.

"That's true. I still think that you chose Hawaii because you wanted to see me in a Bikini." She states bluntly.

"Kitten, I'm still not going to deny that." He says with a smile and with that, he kisses her cheek.

Sasuke wasn't the only one who couldn't believe how their life had turned out. Mikoto also couldn't believe some days that this was really her life. She had remarried her ex husband and was now a Sharingan Dragon.

That would have been more than enough to throw anyone for a loop, but there was more. The most unsettling thing was how close her sons were to each other. She had never found an actual proof, but she had strong suspicions that their bond was far physical than it should be.

"Mmm that's better. I think you have learned your lesson about keeping secrets from me. Good man." Mikoto giggles.

"Oh believe me. I have definitely learned my lesson. That and I'm not suicidal enough to upset you. You're a better shot than I am now." Fugaku whispers and with that, he places a white rose in her hair.

They looked at each other with far more than just familial love. It wasn't the same way that Mikoto looked at them or that Fugaku looked at his uncles. No, it was a look that only lovers gave each other.

"That's most certainly true and you would do well to remember it, My Love." The raven haired woman replies smugly.

She had never confronted them about it though. It was her fault really. They hadn't seen each other for a decade. It was only natural that they would have a hard time thinking of each other as brothers at first.

It was less natural for them to fall in love. Mikoto didn't like it. She had always wanted her children to be close, but not THAT close. Despite her feeling of unease about the situation, the Dragoness said nothing.

"I'll remember it. Madara is right. It's a damn good thing that you didn't know how to shoot during our divorce." Fugaku muses.

She had missed out on ten years of Itachi's life because of her morals. Mikoto wasn't going to make that mistake again. It wasn't right and she didn't like it, but her children had found love.

That's what a mother wanted for their children. For them to be happy. Mikoto just hadn't expected for them to find happiness with each other.

"That's probably accurate. I greatly look forward to our Honeymoon though." The Dragoness says, before kissing him.

She feels herself smile as Fugaku returns the kiss. He was an excellent kisser. It was easy to forget how complicated her life was when Fugaku kissed her so well.

Their sons were clever though. Clearly, Utakata and Haku were "covers." Idly, she had to admit that they had chosen well. Both men were believable choices. She had nearly been fooled herself by their ruse.

"So do I, Kitten. So do I." Fugaku replies with a smirk.

Meanwhile Itachi dances with Utakata. The man was a skilled dancer, but he wished that he didn't have to dance with the businessman. He preferred his own Kitten.

"Everything seems to be going well." Utakata comments as they sway to the music.

"Yes, it is. I can't tell you, how grateful I am. Thank you, for helping us." He whispers.

"It's no problem. I am getting far more out of the deal than you are, really. A businessman never turns down a good opportunity." The other man replies and Itachi just nods in agreement.

He glances back at Sasuke. The young Dragon looked particularly impressive in his new suit. It was tailor made for him, so it flattered his lithe muscular frame nicely. Itachi couldn't wait to take it off him later.

Their relationship had never been stronger. As much as they both loathed using decoys, neither brother could argue with the result. No one knew of their relationship and it was going to stay that way.

"Oh come on! You can dance with me! Yeah?!" Deidara asks as he drags Naruto out onto the dance floor.

Naruto blinks as he is drug around like a rag doll. The other blonde was completely nuts. Oh well. He supposed it was a party.

Hopefully, his girlfriend wouldn't mind. Sasuke often invited him to various business and political functions. Naruto loved socializing and it usually meant free food and drinks, so he saw no reason not to go to them. That was where he met Hinata.

Hinata was a beautiful, shy heiress. The two of them had hit it off and started dating. Now they both ran a very successful chain of Ramen Shops together. Naruto was planning to propose to her next week, actually.

"It's okay, Na-ruto. I don't mind." The bluenette says with a giggle.

Upon hearing that, the blonde sighs in relief. Well if Hinata didn't mind, Naruto could indulge Deidara. That and looked like the eccentric Akatsuki Member was a surprisingly good dancer.

"Children are most amusing." Tobirama observes to Izuna as the two of them enjoy some champagne together.

"Mhm. There's never a dull moment with them or you around, My Snowy Owl." Izuna replies.

The retired Chief of Police smiles at the nickname. His smile only continues to grow, after Izuna sits in his lap. The two of them were now sitting on a thankfully sturdy chair. The chair was placed next to one of the many refreshment tables.

"That's most certainly true." Tobirama says smugly.

He places a quick kiss to Izuna's cheek. It was nice. There were some things that he detested about the modern era, but he did like that now he could kiss and hold Izuna with barley anyone batting an eyelash.

That hadn't always been the case. When they were Sasuke's age, such relationships had to stay hidden in the shadows. People had mercifully become more accepting of two men being together in recent years though.

"I love you. I'm sorry for keeping you waiting for so long." Izuna tells him and caresses his lover's cheek.

"I love you too and the fault wasn't entirely yours. My own stubbornness certainly played a role." He apologizes.

"True. Well I guess all that we can do is continue to make up for lost time." Izuna says with a smile as he kisses Tobirama's forehead.

Tobirama smirks. He definitely liked making up for lost time and as a lovely bonus, he knew that it drove Madara insane. Izuna's brother would always detest him and the feeling would always be entirely mutual, but for Izuna's sake they had managed not to murder each other (yet).

"I certainly like the sound of that." He says.

"Damn. You people are crazy." Kisame observes as he watches Pain spin Konan around the dance floor like she an extension of himself.

How the woman didn't get dizzy was completely beyond him. Oh well. He decides to content himself with some of the amazing seafood that was on the refreshment tables.

"Crazy in love." Pain retorts and Konan laughs as she was spun around madly and ends up back in the safety of her husband's arms.

"This is some damn good food." Hidan states as he shovels more of it into his mouth.

The entire place was staked with every kind of food and alcoholic beverage one could imagine. Hidan figures that he might as well take advantage of it. After all, why let it go to waste?

"I can't argue with that." Sasori concedes as he nods in acknowledgement to his now "respectable" cousin.

Madara shakes his head in amusement as he watches the entire scene unfold. He was less than pleased to see his brother sitting on Tobirama's lap, but there was nothing that he could really do about it.

Well he COULD do something about it, but that would cause a scene. The Dragon wasn't a complete barbarian. This wasn't his party. He was a guest and as such, he was forced to conduct himself "properly."

"Well at least they have some good music playing." He says with a sigh.

He was happy that Izuna had found love. Madara truly was, but he wished that Izuna had found love with someone other than Tobirama. He just didn't get what his brother saw in the uptight prick.

"Yes, they do. It would be a shame to let such good music go to waste. Would you care to dance with me?" He hears a feminine voice ask.

Madara smirks. Well maybe he could take his mind off of the fact that Tobirama's hands were currently all over his precious baby brother by enjoying a dance with woman. Hopefully an attractive woman, but he wasn't feeling particularly picky at the moment.

He glances up and smirks once more. Well he'd certainly got his wish. He estimated she was around his age or certainly within a decade of him anyway. That was a damn fine fifty or sixty though.

"It would be my pleasure, My Dear." He says as he takes her hand and heads to the dance floor.

She was a busty blonde. Madara would be the first to admit that like many men, he was far too easily distracted by nice cleavage. Yes, she would be a pleasant distraction indeed.

"My name is Tsunade." She informs him as she wraps her arms around his neck.

"Tsunade it is then. Hmm. That name sounds familiar. You run the hospital, don't you?" Madara inquires as he sways to the music with her.

"That's correct and you're a Dragon. A Dragon who really shouldn't be armed at a party. If you don't play nicely, I will clip your wings. Do you understand me?" She demands.

Madara blinks. How on Earth did this woman know that? Well he had to admire her directness.

"This is a friend's celebration, there will be no need for wing clipping or for anything else to be clipped. I assure you. Though I am curious as to how you found out about my hobby." The Uchiha admits.

"A year back, Kaguya died. This was after she was last seen speaking with you and your brother. The only people who could have possibly killed that woman were the Sharingan Dragons. I filled in the blanks. I'm not going to report you. The world is better off without her, but I'm not going to let you put anyone else in the morgue. That was clever of you to burn their bodies and then throw them into the lake." She says.

Madara smirks. Yes, that had been one of his better ideas. Burning the bodies meant that their flesh was gone. It would be hard to get direct fingerprints. Putting them on a boat and setting fire to the boat also allowed them to drown the skeletons. Washing away further evidence.

The broken bones could even be explained to a certain extent. They probably broke them as they were trying to flee. It really had been the perfect plan. Well at least that's what he thought until he was approached by Tsunade.

"Well as you don't seem particularly adverse to my hobby and you are a fine dancer, are you free this Friday? I do have tickets to a play. I was going to take my brother with me, but I suspect that he's going to be busy." He asks.

"I'll go with you, but no tricks. I might be a Princess, but I'm fully capable of slaying a Dragon, if I have to." She warns him.

Sasuke smiles and heads over to Naruto with Haku. He knew the blonde would tell his brother that they left. He didn't want to seem too obvious.

"We're gonna head out early. It's rare that I get to see Haku. So we want to make the most of it. I'll see you later, loser." Sasuke says.

"Alright. Yeah. Sure. I'll let the others know. I'm glad that you found someone to pull that stick out of your ass, bastard!" Naruto says brightly.

Haku chuckles in amusement. He didn't particularly mind being Sasuke's pretend boyfriend. His hospital certainly benefited from the arrangement and it was always an entertaining venture.

"A pleasure as always to see you, Naruto." Haku says.

"You too!" Naruto says brightly and with that, the "couple" heads off.

"Thanks for all this. I can't tell you how much, I appreciate it. I know that this has to be pretty weird for you." Sasuke says as he drives Haku to the airport.

Haku shrugs. He had been in weirder situations certainly. Besides, at least his pretend boyfriend was gorgeous.

"It's alright. I'm always happy to have an opportunity to travel. I'll see you next month." Haku says a few minutes later, as they arrive at the airport.

Haku makes a grand show of hugging Sasuke and kissing his cheek. Sasuke smiles and returns the gesture. After all, they had to put on a convincing show. Itachi hated the cheek kisses, but it was a necessary evil.

"Have a safe trip." Sasuke calls out and Haku nods, before darting off to catch his plane.

A short while later, Sasuke arrives back at the mansion. He wasn't entirely surprised when he got to his room and was pushed against the wall. It was Itachi.

"How do you do that?! I left before you." Sasuke demands as he wraps his arms around Itachi's neck.

"Well you were a gentleman. You drove Haku to the airport. Utakata doesn't mind seeing himself out. So I had that advantage." Itachi tells him, before kissing Sasuke.

Sasuke smiles and returns the kiss. Alright. That was a good point. Utakata in his opinion was a borderline antisocial jerk. He wouldn't care if Itachi drove him to the airport or not.

"Yeah. I guess nice guys really do finish last." The younger Uchiha says with a laugh, after breaking the kiss.

"Mmm not necessarily. I can make sure you achieve climax before I do." Itachi retorts smugly.

The Dragon blinks. That was Itachi for you. The man could deliver a dirty joke with a completely straight face. Pun intended.

"Oh I KNOW that you can do that." Sasuke replies with a sly smile of his own.

He supposed that he should just accept the fact that Itachi had completely corrupted him. He was in a relationship with a man who shared his last name and part of a criminal organization. His younger self would be completely scandalized.

That didn't really matter though. Sasuke knew one thing that his younger self didn't. He knew the taste of Itachi's kiss and what it meant be with someone who truly loved you.

"Good. Perhaps another demonstration might be in order though." Itachi purrs seductively into Sasuke's ear.

Their love was a twisted one. It was one that society would never accept. That was alright though. They had each other. That's what mattered most.

"That does sound promising. After all, you'll have to keep reminding me why I agreed to an Exclusivity Clause with you." The young Dragon replies with a smirk as he playfully shoves Itachi onto the bed.

"Mmm that's true. It never hurts to have a reminder now and then." The elder Uchiha agrees as he flips Sasuke.

Itachi smiles down at his Kitten. There would never be a more beautiful sight than Sasuke staring up at him with love and lust in his gorgeous eyes. Those same eyes that had captured his attention in that nightclub on that fateful night.

It was a shame that their relationship would always have to be a secret one. In some ways, he wished that they hadn't shared the same parents. That didn't really matter though. As long as he had his Kitten, everything else was a bonus.

"Yes. I completely agree." Sasuke tells him as he kisses Itachi.

Itachi returns the kiss and his hands begin to wander. He'd never get tired of this. It was nothing short of a miracle that Sasuke had decided to ignore the chains that society had shackled him with to become his lover, but he wasn't going to give the other man a reason to change his mind.

That was why he spoiled the other Dragon. When Sasuke was a child, he would follow him around like a lost puppy. He'd only wanted acknowledgement and affection. Now, Itachi was more than content to give him both in spades.

"I love you." He whispers again.

He must have said it at least a dozen times a day. Every single time that he said it though, it was true. Itachi loved the beautiful man underneath him.

He knew that Sasuke felt the same way. The other Uchiha may be a little less verbal about it, but Itachi could see it in his eyes. He could see it in the warmth of his smile.

"I love you too." Sasuke whispers back.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of pleasure. It was quite easy to fall into bed with each other as the Sun went down and still be in the throws of passion the when the Sun rose again. That was one of the man benefits of being a Dragon really.

Dragons were powerful. They were intelligent. They also had excellent stamina and if Itachi did say so themselves, they aged rather well. Madara and Izuna were still able to win a gang war in their sixties. It was nothing short of incredible really.

The next morning, Sasuke wakes up snuggled into his lover's arms and smiles. He knew that what they were doing was wrong by society's standards, but it no longer mattered to him. How could he ever give this up?

"Mmm what time is it?" Itachi asks Sasuke, once he realizes that his brother was stirring.

"Time for us to take a shower, get dressed, and go look pretty for the cameras. There's another press conference today." Sasuke says.

He had grown used to this aspect of being a Dragon. Sasuke was quite skilled at his new profession. He was a Public Relations Specialist. He was also a gang leader.

The Sharingan Dragons were slowly changing their role. Mostly these days, they managed the lower level gangs. They kept things from getting too violent in the streets and they made good money doing it.

Gaara was more than happy to look the other way, when they got a bit rough with the other gangs. It made his job easier. Some other politicians were outright bribing them to lower the crime rates in their District.

"Mmm we always look magnificent. After all, we are Dragons." Itachi says as they proceed get ready for the press conference.

"That we are. You know, you really did steal my innocence in a lot of ways. I'm happy that you did though." Sasuke tells him.

"Good. I wouldn't have it any other way. Now let's go smile for the cameras and when we come home, we can make good use of that _ **DO NOT DISTURB**_ Sign." Itachi says.

Sasuke could only smirk and nod in agreement. That sounded like a grand idea to him. Thank goodness that Dragons had such amazing stamina!


End file.
